Somalia blood appeal after Mogadishu truck bombing

Somalia is appealing for blood to treat those wounded in Saturday's huge truck bombing in the capital, Mogadishu, which killed at least 281 people.

Information Minister Abdirahman Osman told the BBC the death toll was likely to rise, and more help was needed.

He said more than 300 people had been injured in Somalia's deadliest terror attack in 10 years, and more bodies were trapped under rubble.

Two planes of medical aid - from the US and Qatar - have landed in the capital.

Turkey and Djibouti sent humanitarian assistance on Monday - and a Turkish military plane has taken 40 of the injured to Turkey for medical treatment.

Neighbouring Kenya also plans to airlift some of the victims for further treatment, and in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, hundreds of people been donating blood.

 

Photo copyright: REUTERS Caption: Many of those died in the explosion are unable to be formally identified