At least 37 killed in Islamist attack on beach in Somalia
Police and eyewitnesses reported that a suicide bomber detonated themselves late Friday evening. Following this, armed individuals stormed the area near Lido Beach, home to upscale hotels and trendy restaurants. "The ruthless terrorists randomly killed civilians," said police officer Mohamed Omar to news agency AFP. Five armed individuals, belonging to the Islamist Shebab militia, were killed by security forces.
Hawo Mohamed, who lives near the beach, said at least seven of his acquaintances were killed in the attack. There was blood and bodies everywhere, he added. "I saw injured people near the beach, people were screaming in panic, and it was hard to tell who was dead and who wasn't," said Ahmed Yare to AFP. According to another witness, there were many people on the beach at the time of the explosion. Some tried to take cover on the ground, others ran away.
Due to the large number of injured, hospitals called for blood donations through local media. According to the Minister of Health, 137 people with minor injuries were released.
Somalian Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre described the attack as "a barbaric atrocity that fundamentally contradicts the values of our religion and culture." The Chairperson of the African Union (AU), Moussa Faki Mahamat, expressed his condolences to the victims' families on the online platform X. He described the attack as "horrific and ruthless."
In mid-July, nine people were killed and 20 others injured in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, when a car bomb exploded outside a packed café showing the final match of the 2024 European Football Championship. Last year, members of the Shebab militia besieged one of the hotels on Lido Beach for six hours. Six people were killed and ten others injured.
The Shebab militia, affiliated with the extremist network Al-Qaeda, has been fighting against the internationally-backed government of Somalia since 2007. They have claimed responsibility for numerous bombings and attacks in Mogadishu and other parts of the country. Although they were driven out of the capital by African Union soldiers in 2011, they remain strong in rural areas.
The police immediately began investigating the cause and suspects of the attack. Upon hearing the news, more police officers were deployed to reinforce security in the area.
Other law enforcement agencies, including the intelligence unit, were also involved in gathering information and preventing further attacks.
