In a late-night assault on a beach in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, a minimum of 32 individuals lost their lives, with another 63 sustaining injuries according to Saturday’s police reports. Over 32 individuals, civilians included, perished in the dining establishment assault, reported Abdifatah Aden, a police representative, in a news briefing. He disclosed that among the assailants had taken his own life, while the enforcement officers managed to kill three. A perpetrator was also detained during the operation.
The Somali national news outlets attributed the assault to the extremist Islamist faction, al Shabaab. The al-Qaeda-affiliated al Shabaab, notorious for historical similar strikes, however, did not instantly claim responsibility.
The detonation took place while the local residents were enjoying a swim at Lido Beach, according to past Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire via his personal X account. In his statement, he made it clear that the high number of people at the beach when the terror attack happened was no mere coincidence, indicating the terrorists’ antagonism towards the Somali people.
Footage uploaded on X gave viewers a glimpse of the horror that unfolded, showing motionless bodies on the beach at night, and frantic people rushing for safety.
A substantial region of Somalia once fell under the control of al Shabaab before a government-led counterattack pushed them back in 2022. Nonetheless, these radicals can still execute high-impact strikes on state, business, and military establishments.
Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024.