Turkey condemns bomb attack on civilians in Somalia

Turkey condemned the "terrorist bomb attack" on civilians in Somalia on Saturday, which caused casualties.

"We curse and condemn the terrorist attack which targeted innocent civilians in Somalia and injured 11 civilians, including four Turkish citizens," the Defense Ministry said on Twitter.

Turkey will continue to stand by its Somali brothers in their fight against terrorism.

According to Somali officials, at least three people were killed and 20 others, including Turkish nationals, injured after a suicide car bomb blast targeted a police convoy escorting Turkish contractors in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Saturday.

According to Turkey's Embassy in Mogadishu, four staffers of a Turkish construction firm were injured in the attack.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Last week, at least three people were killed when a roadside bombing targeted security forces guarding Turkish nationals who were working for road construction outside Mogadishu.

On Dec. 28, at least 85 people, including two Turkish nationals, were killed and over 150 others wounded in a truck suicide attack in Mogadishu, in another attack claimed by al-Shabaab.

Turkey has strong historical ties with Somalia on the principle of "win-win" relations, including over 150 development aid projects carried out by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency since 2011.