Somali militant group al-Shabaab launched a deadly strike on Wednesday against a U.N. humanitarian compound in Mogadishu that killed one international staffer, three contractors, four Somali security guards, and at least four civilians, Foreign Policy first reported.
Al-Shabaab then posted a series of eerie tweets from it’s Twitter handle @HSMPress1.
“So Nicholas Kay, are you still planning to settle down in Mogadishu by the end of the month?” read one tweet from yesterday afternoon, referring to the new U.N. representative who opened an office in the capital this month.
Seven militants “on a suicide mission” attacked the compound with a truck bomb and then forced their way onto the premises, killing at least 13 people before they were killed in the assault, the Associated Press reported.
“The Mujahideen attacked #UNDP about an hour ago and are now in complete control of the entire compound and the battle is still ongoing,” one al-Shabaab tweet stated.
“Inside the compound are several clueless foreigners who were lulled into a false sense of security by a strong disinformation campaign!” stated another.
The terrorist group posted several anti-U.S. and anti-U.N. messages before the attack, saying, “The UN, a merchant of death & a satanic force of evil, has a long inglorious record of spreading nothing but poverty, dependency & disbelief.”
“Serving #US goals, the #UN is a monolithic block in the path towards the establishment of Allah’s Law on earth & must therefore be dislodged,” they added.
White House National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden condemned “al-Shabaab’s despicable attack on the United Nations,” saying the group had “targeted people and organizations working in partnership with the Somali Government to provide health services, clean water, sanitation, education, and economic opportunity — people striving to build a better future for the Somali people.”
“Today’s attack highlights the repugnant terrorist tactics al-Shabaab continues to use to stand in the way of efforts to ease the suffering of the Somali people,” she added. “Whether by denying food and medical aid during one of the region’s worst droughts, or by repeated attacks against fellow Somalis and soldiers helping to build a lasting peace, al-Shabaab has shown again and again that it stands on the side of death and destruction.”
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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