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The Latest: UN leader gives condolences over Somalia bombing

Somali women wait for any news of their missing relatives outside a hospital ward in Mogadishu, Somalia Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017. Anguished families gathered across Somalia's capital on Tuesday as funerals continued for the more than 300 people killed in one of the world's deadliest attacks in years, while others waited anxiously for any word of the scores of people still said to be missing. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh)
Original Publication Date October 17, 2017 - 6:31 AM

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The latest on the deadly explosion in Somalia's capital (all times local):

2:25 a.m.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has met with Somalia minister Abdullahi Hamud to personally extend his condolences following Saturday's bomb blast that killed more than 300 people in Mogadishu.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric saysthe U.N. chief asked to meet with Hamud on Tuesday following the "horrendous attack," which was one of the world's deadliest in years.

Guterres visited Somalia in March to spotlight the threat of famine in the Horn of Africa nation, and Dujarric says the U.N. leader "really wanted to present his condolences and speak to" Hamud.

Hamud is minister of state in the Somali prime minister's office and is at U.N. headquarters in New York for Africa Week activities.

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1:20 a.m.

Mogadishu mayor's has called on residents to turn out for a show of defiance and pay tribute to the victims of Somalia's deadliest attack. At least 302 people were killed in Saturday's truck bombing. Scores are missing and nearly 400 are wounded.

Demonstrators are expected to march across the city on Wednesday morning and gather at a stadium.

"We must liberate this city which is awash with graves," Thabit Abdi told a group of young protesters who gathered at the site of the explosion on Tuesday evening.

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7:40 p.m.

The United Nations Security Council has stood in a moment of silence for the victims of Saturday's truck bombing in Somalia's capital.

More than 300 people were killed and nearly 400 injured, with scores missing. It was one of the world's worst attacks in years.

Somalia's government has blamed the attack on the al-Shabab extremist group, which has not commented.

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4:20 p.m.

Kenya's foreign affairs minister says the country will airlift 31 people wounded in Somalia's deadliest attack for specialized treatment.

Amina Mohamed also says Kenya is dispatching 11 tons of medicine to help Somali hospitals that have been overwhelmed by the nearly 400 people injured in Saturday's truck bombing in Mogadishu. More than 300 people were killed.

Somalia's government has blamed the attack on the al-Shabab extremist group, which has not commented.

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2 p.m.

A United States military plane has landed in Somalia's capital with medical and humanitarian aid supplies after Saturday's massive truck bombing killed more than 300 people.

A spokesman for the U.S. African Command tells The Associated Press that the charge d'affaires with the U.S. Mission to Somalia "declared that this disaster meets the criteria to warrant immediate U.S. government assistance" because of the widespread damage.

Another nearly 400 people were injured in the deadliest attack in Somalia's history and one of the world's worst attacks in years. Funerals have begun and dozens of critically injured have been airlifted to Turkey for treatment.

Somalia's government has blamed the attack on the al-Shabab extremist group, which has not commented.

News from © The Associated Press, 2017
The Associated Press

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