Heavily loaded truck detonates: 90 deaths

At around 8 in the morning, a heavily and with explosive loaded truck detonated at Ex-controle-Afgooye, one of the main entrance road to Mogadishu and a crucial part of the Main Supply Route Mogadishu-Baidoa.
The number of casualties varies from 50 – 90 deaths and more than 50 wounded.
Among the victims, 17 Police Officers, 73 civilians and for 4 Foreign Nationals, according to former Minister of Internal Security. Some of the victims are University student who were in a bus near the explosion.

The foreigners are believed to be Turkish engineers working on the MSR.
The intended target of this suicide car bomb is not yet clear. Some security officials indicated that a taxation post at the junction or the Turkish engineers may have being the intended target, while the Mayor of Mogadishu, Omar Filish stated that high ranking FGS officials were the target but that the truck was not able to get into town.
The Mayor visited the scene of the terror attack and Madina hospital where most of the casualties were brought.
This attack is one of the biggest attacks this year, just days before the end of 2019.
Prime Minister Khayre mentioned few weeks ago, that Al Shabab is frustrating the ongoing rehabilitation work of the Mogadishu-Baidoa MSR as the terror group attacked the construction workers a total number of 11 times, the attack of today putting the count on 12.
The long waited Mogadishu-Jowhar MSR rehabilitation is yet to commence, due impasse in a possible behind the scenes negotiation process between Al Shabab and a Turkish construction company. According to security sources in Mogadishu, Al Shabab initially gave the green light and allowed Turkish engineers to work on the Mogadishu-Baidoa MSR, but the situation changed as the work progressed.

UPDATE: 15:26
President Farmajo send his condolences to the victims and their families, and said this to be a day filled with sadness. The president stated that this attack is another example of how the terrorists are oppressing the people who were conducting their daily business.
“This enemy, working for intentional terrorists, have never contributed to the rebuilding of this country. They have never built road, hospitals or schools. Their job is to destroy and to commit massacre.”
President Farmajo instructed the cabinet to do anything in its power to help the victims and their families and asked the Somali people to help their brothers and sisters who fall victim to the enemy.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Khayre canceled his trip to Galmudug.
It is expected that this terror attack and the cancellation of the Prime Ministers visit to Dhusamareb, will further delay the Galmudug elections.

UPDATE: 16:16
Prime Minister Khayre appointed a committee composed of 10 members led by the Minister of Internal Security, to help deliver emergency assistance to the victims.

UPDATE: 17:05
Mehmet Yılmaz, the Turkish Ambassador to Somalia, have confirmed two Turkish nationals to be among the victims. Also, more information is surfacing about the intended target. Both Somali security officials and Turkish sources confirmed that the suicide car bomber locked on the bulletproof vehicle that was transporting the Turkish engineers and their security staff, killing them on impact.