Somalia holds prayers for footballers killed in Mogadishu attack

TERRORISM | SOMALIA

A session of prayers and mourning has been held at Stadium Banadir in memory of three Somali football players, who were killed in the recent suicide attack in Somali Capital.

Ahmed Qadar Mohamed (Horseed sports Club), Deeq Hersi Mohamed (Rajo FC) and Mustaf Abdi Hussein (Waxool FC) were confirmed dead after days of a marathon search for survivors.

Somali Football Federation officials were joined by football players and family members in a prayer session at the Stadium which was also attended by hundreds of football fans including some who came from far regions in the country.

The three footballers were amongst more than 100 people who had gone missing in the aftermath of the truck bomb, but were later confirmed dead after constant contacts between their families and Somali Football Federation officials in cooperation with paramedics.

The attack killed more than 350 civilians and wounded hundreds of others, according to officials.  Dozens of the people were burned beyond recognition.

At the end of the prayer session, Somali Football Federation gave the families of the slain footballers some encouragement and financial support as some of the players left behind children.

"The session was meant to pray and mourn for the slain players and to show solidarity with their families and relatives. We are one football family and we will always remain in that one family" Somali Football Federation president, Abdiqani Said Arab, told the prayer session at Stadium Banadir on Friday.