Tragedy Strikes Mogadishu: Suicide Bomber Targets Military Recruits
A devastating attack has shaken the Somali capital, Mogadishu, leaving at least 10 people dead and many more injured. The tragedy occurred when a suicide bomber targeted a queue of young recruits waiting to register at the Damanyo military base. The bomber, who arrived at the scene in a speeding tuk-tuk, detonated their explosives among the crowd of teenagers gathered at the base’s gate.
Eyewitnesses described the chaos and horror of the moment the blast occurred. Abdisalan Mohamed, who was passing by the scene in a bus, recalled seeing "hundreds of teenagers at the gate" before the explosion. "Abruptly, a deafening blast occurred, and the area was covered by dense smoke. We could not see the details of casualties," he said. Military Captain Suleiman, who witnessed the attack from across the road, described the bomber’s actions: "A man alighted from the tuk-tuk, ran into the queue, and then blew himself up. I saw 10 people dead, including recruits and passers-by. The death toll may rise."
The aftermath of the attack was marked by scenes of devastation, with dozens of abandoned shoes and the remains of the suicide bomber visible at the scene. Medical staff at the military hospital reported receiving 30 wounded people from the blast, with six of them dying immediately. The government has cordoned off the area, and an official has confirmed that at least 11 people were killed in the attack.
This tragic event echoes a similar incident in 2023, when a suicide bomber killed 25 soldiers at the Jale Siyad base, located opposite the Damanyo facility. The attack comes just a day after the assassination of Colonel Abdirahmaan Hujaale, commander of Battalion 26, in the Hiiran region, amid reports of al-Shabab’s infiltration into government and security forces. Al-Shabab, a militant group that has been fighting the Somali government for nearly two decades, frequently targets government officials and military personnel.
As the people of Mogadishu mourn the loss of life and struggle to come to terms with this senseless act of violence, the international community is reminded of the ongoing challenges faced by Somalia in its quest for peace and stability. The attack serves as a stark reminder of the need for continued support and cooperation in the fight against terrorism and extremism.