Sad Anniversary

Today is the 4^th anniversary of one of the largest terror attacks since 9/11. On October 14, 2017, a truck bomb killed over 500 people and injured hundreds of others. Somalia declared the date a national remembrance day for the victims of terror attacks in the country.

I had been in Mogadishu the week prior to the attack. Though smaller attacks happen rather regularly, there was no indication that such a massive attack was in preparation. Reports that came out in the weeks that followed indicated that it was likely that the truck, laden with explosives, was on its way to another destination, probably some sort of government installation, when it breached a security check and detonated prematurely. The impact flattened an entire neighborhood and caused damage hundreds of meters away. Our office, about a kilometer away, received damage to windows, the entry door and other parts of the building.

In Somalia there are about two degrees of separation. Everyone seems to know everyone, or at least they know someone who knows someone. The attack was a sucker punch for the entire country. One of my staff, who was in a nearby hotel, was killed when the building he was in was razed to the ground.

Once I was given security clearance, I caught the first flight I could to Mogadishu. I think it was about two days after the bombing. I arrived to see a team still stunned by what had happened. People often say that Somalis are a resilient people, and that’s true, but such a statement can be dismissive of the personal toll these repeated attacks have on the human psyche. It wears people down.

In the staff meeting we had soon after I arrived, I did very little talking. I sat and listened to my colleagues express their pain and anger. There was a certain bewilderment that something like this could happen. You try to live in hope that the country is moving in a better direction and then the rug is pulled from underneath you. You need hope – something to hang onto to get you out of bed each morning. Mental health support is limited in Somalia. It does exist but most don’t have access to it. But people seem to find ways to cope.

Since 2017, attacks have continued to happen, though none nearly as massive. Only a few months after the October attack, another one of my staff was injured when a car bomb went off near to where he was crossing a street sending shrapnel into his leg. Two days later he was on an airplane to another one of our offices to carry on his job. It’s both sad and impressive.

I likely will always remember October 14 as the day of this horrendous attack in Mogadishu. It seems to be imprinted into my memory. On this anniversary, my thoughts and prayers go out to those who were affected by the attack. May the madness come to an end.