A devastating suicide bombing at a beach restaurant in the Somali capital of Mogadishu has left at least 32 people dead and dozens more injured, state media reported on Saturday. The attack, which occurred on Friday evening, has been claimed by the militant group al-Shabaab.
The assault targeted the Beach View Hotel, a popular spot along the shoreline. According to the Somali National News Agency (SONNA), six al-Shabaab militants were involved in the attack, five of whom were killed. The fate of the sixth attacker remains unclear.
Eyewitnesses described the horror that unfolded. "In a second there was something like lightning and a huge blast," said Hassan Farah, a survivor of the attack. "We were covered with smoke. Inside and outside the restaurant, many people were lying on the floor while others were bleeding and crying."
The attack began when one of the militants detonated a suicide bomb inside the restaurant, causing massive casualties and trapping many patrons inside. Security forces responded swiftly, killing three of the attackers and capturing one alive. Another attacker had blown himself up, police spokesperson Abdifatah Aden reported.
32 DEAD IN MOGADISHU BEACH ATTACK
Al-Shabab, linked to al-Qaeda, has claimed responsibility for the assault on Lido Beach in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital. Security forces intervened, killing at least five attackers, while a sixth detonated a bomb.
Prime Minister Hassan Ali… pic.twitter.com/yug96N7zRc — Royal FM 94.3 Kigali (@RoyalFMRwanda) August 3, 2024
The explosion and subsequent gunfire created a scene of chaos and destruction. Video footage from the morning after the blast showed civilians and emergency responders surrounding ambulances and attending to the wounded. The beach was littered with sandals and shoes left behind by those fleeing the scene.
Al-Shabaab, an Islamist militant group linked to al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack through the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist activity. The group has a history of conducting similar attacks in its ongoing campaign to overthrow the Somali government and establish a regime based on its strict interpretation of Sharia law.
The Somali government has vowed to continue its efforts to eliminate al-Shabaab. "The government is determined to eliminate the terrorists," President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's office said in a statement. "The terrorists want to terrify the civilians. Let the civilians report the terrorists hiding among them."
Friday's bombing is the deadliest attack in Somalia since twin car bombs detonated near a busy market intersection in October 2022, killing at least 100 people and wounding 300 others. The frequency and intensity of such attacks underscore the persistent threat posed by al-Shabaab, despite significant military setbacks the group has suffered in recent years.
In the immediate aftermath of the attack, members of the public responded in large numbers to an urgent call for blood donations to help the injured. Hospitals across Mogadishu were overwhelmed with casualties, and the city's emergency services were stretched to their limits.
The Mayor of Mogadishu, Yusuf Hussein Jimale, offered his condolences and prayers for the victims. "Prayers for a speedy recovery for those injured and wished paradise for those who lost their lives," he said, as quoted by SONNA.
Al-Shabaab once controlled a significant portion of Somalia, but has been pushed back by government forces and African Union troops since 2022. However, the group retains the capacity to conduct significant and deadly operations against both civilian and military targets.
The United States Africa Command has described al-Shabaab as "the largest and most kinetically active al-Qaeda network in the world." The group has been designated a terrorist organization by both the United States and the United Nations.
