More than 30 civilians were killed and 63 others injured in an explosion at a popular beach in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, late Friday evening, according to police. Somali state media has attributed the attack to the militant Islamist group al-Shabaab.
This was the deadliest attack in the Horn of Africa nation since twin car bombs exploded near a bustling market intersection in October 2022, resulting in at least 100 deaths and 300 injuries.
Al-Shabaab, the al Qaeda-linked group known for claiming similar attacks, including the 2022 car bomb incident, has not presently claimed responsibility for this latest attack.
Police spokesperson Abdifatah Aden reported the death toll from the explosion at a beach restaurant on Friday evening.
Besides the civilian casualties, Aden confirmed that one attacker detonated himself, three others were killed by security forces, and one attacker was captured alive.
Additionally, one soldier lost his life during the assault.
According to state news agency SONNA, security forces neutralized five al-Shabaab attackers, and a sixth attacker blew himself up during the incident.
Survivor Hassan Farah described the devastation as the explosion shattered a previously calm evening.
“I was enjoying coffee and chatting with friends at the restaurant when I saw a large man running. In an instant, there was a flash of light and a massive explosion,” he informed Reuters.
“We were enveloped in smoke. Many people were sprawled on the floor inside and outside the restaurant, while others were bleeding and sobbing,” he declared.
Videos shared on X showed bodies on the beach in the dark and people running to safety.
Al Shabaab once ruled significant portions of Somalia but has been pushed back by government counteroffensives since 2022.
Despite these setbacks, the militant group retains the capability to launch substantial attacks against government institutions, commercial establishments, and military positions.
The group has adapted its tactics and continues to pose a serious threat to stability in the region.
“The timing of the terrorist attack, occurring on a night when the beach is most crowded, highlights the terrorists’ animosity towards the Somali people,” Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire remarked on his X account.
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