Europe

Norwegians paying homage to 77 killed in 2011 attack

Associated Press
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Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary-General and Norway's former prime minister during the attacks in 2011, and President of Norwegian Labour party youth division Mani Hussaini, right, attends a wreath laying ceremony in the government quarter in Oslo, Norway, Friday July 22, 2016. Norway is paying homage to the 77 people killed in a bombing and shooting rampage five years ago, with church services and events to mark one of the darkest days in the Scandinavian country's history. (Vegard Wivestad Groett/NTB via AP) (The Associated Press)

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary-General and Norway's former prime minister during the attacks in 2011, attends a wreath laying ceremony in the government quarter in Oslo, Norway, Friday July 22, 2016. Norway is paying homage to the 77 people killed in a bombing and shooting rampage five years ago, with church services and events to mark one of the darkest days in the Scandinavian country's history. (Vegard Wivestad Groett/NTB via AP) (The Associated Press)

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Prime Minister Erna Solberg, right, lay wreaths during a ceremony on Utoya Island, Norway, Friday July 22, 2016. Norway is paying homage to the 77 people killed in a bombing and shooting rampage five years ago, with church services and events to mark one of the darkest days in the Scandinavian country's history. (Jon Olav Nesvold/NTB Scanpix via AP) (The Associated Press)

Norway is paying homage to the 77 people killed in a bombing and shooting rampage five years ago, with church services and events to mark one of the darkest days in the Scandinavian country's history.

Prime Minister Erna Solberg described July 22 as "a very sad" day that shook the small nation. "It is always very onerous," she told Norwegian news agency NTB.

Solberg will lead government tributes at wreath laying ceremonies and at a service in Oslo Cathedral.

Also in attendance will be members of Norway's royal family, victims' families and representatives from a youth organization that organized the summer camp on the island of Utoya where Anders Behring Breivik gunned down 69 people after exploding a car bomb at the government quarter in Oslo that killed another eight.