Deadly Al-Shabaab Attack Strikes Mogadishu Beach, Leaving 37 Dead
A devastating suicide bombing and gun attack struck a busy beach in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Friday, killing 37 people and wounding many more. The assault, claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group, is one of the deadliest recent strikes in the East African country.
The attack began late on Friday when a suicide bomber detonated a device and gunmen stormed the area, intent on "killing everyone they could." Survivors described the horrific scene, with bloodied bodies scattered on the sand. A graphic video shared online showed the aftermath of the blast, with bodies strewn across the beach.
According to Somali Health Minister Ali Haji Adam, the overall number of dead confirmed is 37. Eleven people are in intensive care units, while 64 others remain in hospital with wounds. A further 137 people with light injuries have been discharged after receiving treatment.
Officer Mohamed Omar told AFP that members of the group had "shot civilians randomly." Security forces ended the attack, killing five gunmen and one suicide bomber who blew himself up at the beach.
The attack has sparked widespread condemnation, with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud describing it as a "barbaric atrocity fundamentally contradictory to the cherished values of our religion and culture." Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre also condemned the attack, saying it was a "barbaric atrocity" that targeted ordinary civilians.
The United Nations chief, Antonio Guterres, condemned "heinous acts of terrorism" and expressed solidarity with Somalia in its fight against "violent extremism." Chairman of the African Union’s executive commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, also expressed condolences for the victims, calling the incident "horrific" and "callous."
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry denounced the attack, condemning the targeting of civilians and offering condolences to the families of the victims. Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for numerous bombings and attacks in Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia, where the government is pursuing an offensive against the Islamist militants.
The Lido area, where the attack took place, has been targeted before, including a six-hour siege of a beachside hotel in 2023 that left six civilians dead and ten wounded. Five people were killed in a powerful car bomb blast at a cafe in the capital last month, and in March, militants killed three people and wounded 27 in an hours-long siege of another Mogadishu hotel.
As the country mourns the loss of life, many are left to wonder how such a horrific attack could occur.
