More than 32 innocent people lost their lives and over 63 were injured following a suicide bombing at a bustling beach in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, on Friday evening, according to Somali police.
Abdifatah Adan Hassan, a spokesman for the Somali police, reported in a Saturday news conference that the assault began with a suicide blast and was followed by a shootout.
“The suicide bomber targeted innocent civilians enjoying their Friday at the beach, after which three terrorists invaded the Beach View Hotel,” he stated.
He further mentioned that after an exchange of gunfire, security forces neutralized three assailants within the hotel, resulting in injuries to two security officers, one of whom later died from his wounds.
Security forces successfully concluded the siege by neutralizing all five gunmen involved. Omar labelled the assailants as “Kharijites,” a designation officials use for Al-Shabaab members. He also confirmed that the sixth group member “blew himself at the beach,”
The location of the assault is a common gathering place for civilians, security personnel, and entrepreneurs. The Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist faction Al-Shabaab has taken responsibility for this lethal assault.
For years, Somalia has faced persistent insecurity, with the principal dangers arising from Al-Shabaab and the Daesh/ISIS terrorist organizations. A potent car bomb explosion at a cafe in the capital claimed five lives last month. In March, the insurgents executed a protracted attack on a Mogadishu hotel, resulting in three deaths and 27 injuries.
Al-Shabaab has been in conflict with the Somali government and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia since 2007, a comprehensive mission sanctioned by the African Union and endorsed by the UN Security Council.
The terrorist organization has intensified its assaults following Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s proclamation of an “all-out war” against the group.
