DUBAI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday condemned the terrorist attack on a restaurant in the Somali capital Mogadishu, the official WAM news agency reported.
"The state has strongly condemned this terrorist attack," the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a statement.
"The UAE and its solidarity with the government and the people of Somalia stand in the face of terrorism, which targets security and stability," added the statement.
The UAE also expressed condolences to the government and people of Somalia and the families of the victims and wished speedy recovery of the injured.
Gunmen attacked a hotel and restaurant south of Mogadishu on Wednesday evening, killing at least 19 in an overnight siege, and the radical al Shabaab movement claimed responsibility for the attack.
Al Shabaab militants are stepping up their attacks in the Horn of Africa country, often targeting hotels and restaurants and the African Union bases in the city, as part of their campaign to topple the government. Enditem
