Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
Somali security forces and others gather and search for bodies near destroyed buildings at the scene of Saturday's blast, in Mogadishu, Somalia Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017. The death toll from the huge truck bomb blast in Somalia's capital rose to over 50 Sunday, with more than 60 others injured, as hospitals struggled to cope with the high number of casualties, security and medical sources said. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh)

Pope Francis prayed for the victims of a terrorist attack in Mogadishu, Somalia, that left hundreds dead and countless wounded in one of the deadliest attacks in the country's history.

Before concluding his weekly general audience Oct. 18, the pope expressed his sorrow and denounced the "massacre which caused more than 300 deaths, including several children."

"This terrorist act deserves the fiercest condemnation, especially because it victimizes people that are already so tried," the pope said.

Mogadishu erupted into chaos Oct. 14 when a minivan and a truck carrying military grade explosives exploded near a security checkpoint. Investigators believe the attackers were targeting a heavily guarded compound that housed many embassies, United Nations' offices and African Union peacekeeping forces.

The second explosion caused a nearby fuel truck to ignite, causing a massive fireball to erupt in the area.

While no group has taken responsibility for the attack, government officials believe the militant terrorist group, al-Shabab, is responsible, the Associated Press reported.

Pope Francis prayed for the innocent victims and their families as well as for the conversion of the perpetrators of the deadly massacre.

"I pray for the conversion of the violent and encourage those who, with great difficulty, work for peace in that martyred land," the pope said.

Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.

The latest from america

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni applauds Pope Francis during a meeting about families and Italy's declining birthrate May 12, 2023, in Rome. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
Pope Francis has condemned surrogacy as a form of “false compassion.” Now, in Italy, engaging in surrogacy in another country, even where it may be legal, will be a criminal offense for Italian citizens.
Bridget RyderNovember 12, 2024
In an exclusive interview with Gerard O’Connell, Cardinal Cupich says young Catholics will look back at the synod as “one of the most historic moments in their lives, for it has redirected the focus of where the church is going.”
Gerard O’ConnellNovember 12, 2024
‘Lolita’ may have been canceled, but Vladimir Nabokov remains the godfather of modern prose.
James T. KeaneNovember 12, 2024
Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election will hang over the annual fall meeting of the U.S. Catholic bishops.