A devastating car bomb attack struck a cafe in Mogadishu, Somalia, leaving nine civilians dead and 20 others injured. The cafe, reportedly crowded with football fans watching the Euro 2024 final, was engulfed in a massive fireball and plumes of smoke as the explosion ripped through the popular restaurant in the heart of the city on Sunday night.
Mohamed Yusuf, an official from the national security agency, revealed the grim toll of the attack, stating that “Nine civilians were killed and 20 others wounded in the explosion.” He further elaborated on the scene, saying, “There were many people inside the restaurant, most of them youth who were watching the football match… but thanks to God, most of them made their way out safely after using ladders to climb up and jump over the backside perimeter wall.”
Police officer Mohamed Salad, who rushed to the scene shortly after the blast, confirmed the horrific details. He told AFP that several bodies were discovered amidst the debris. “Five people died outside the building and on the main road including drivers of vehicles that were passing by the area”, he said. “Four people died inside the restaurant, some of them removed from under the debris,” he added.
While no group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, the Somali National News Agency reported that the attack was carried out by Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab jihadists. Al-Shabaab, notorious for its brutal insurgency against Somalia’s fragile federal government for over 17 years, has carried out numerous bombings in Mogadishu and other parts of the country. This latest attack underscores the ongoing threat posed by the militant group and the devastating impact it continues to have on the Somali people.
