A suicide auto bomber rammed the gates of a restaurant near a beach in the capital and then gunmen fought their way into the building, a police official said late Thursday.
Advertisement
Al-Shabab group reportedly claimed responsibility for Thursday’s attack that began after two vehicle bombs exploded about an hour apart.
Al Shabaab had also carried out similar attacks across Mogadishu, often targeting hotels and restaurants popular with government officials.
Survivors say that the extremists shot at people on the adjacent beach as well before entering the restaurant screaming “Allahu akbar” or “God is great” and ordering diners to lie on the floor as they faced their imminent death. Security forces managed to get inside to get rid of the attackers.
Relatives carry the body of their kin killed in an attack at beachside restaurant Beach View Cafe, on Lido beach in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, on January 22, 2016.
“They killed almost 20 people, including women and children”, Somali police officer Mohamed Abdirahman said, describing it as a “barbaric and brutal attack against innocent civilians”.
“This attack further demonstrates the vile nature of Al Shabaab, whose sole goal is to spread terror and destabilize Somalia”, the African Union mission tweeted. “People are fleeing towards the countryside and other towns for safety”, said Abdullahi Ali, a shop owner in the village. “The (attackers) are still inside and fighting our troops”, Hussein said from the scene of the attack as gunfire rang out in the background. “They have rescued many civilians and are now cleaning the place”, Aato said.
“I was intending to go out but suddenly we heard a heavy explosion followed by gunfire”.
Advertisement
Al-Shabaab has lost control of major urban centres in Somalia but has waged a deadly insurgency campaign, killing scores of Kenyan soldiers in a recent attack on one of their forward bases and launching occasional bombings in Mogadishu.
