“At least 13 school children and four school staff are among dozens reported to have been injured when a bomb detonated near a school in Mogadishu, Somalia in the early hours of Thursday morning. The blast is said to have claimed the lives of at least eight people. The bombing also damaged the school and its facilities.

“Schools – and any other place where children congregate – should at all times be safe for children. Unfortunately, as we have seen in Somalia and other countries around the world, violent attacks are carried out in total disregard to the lives of civilians, including children and their families. This violence is not only morally egregious but is in violation of international humanitarian law. UNICEF calls upon all parties to always uphold the safety of children and protect them from any form of violence and harm.”