A suicide bomber detonated explosives outside a hotel in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, sparking a four-hour siege by militants that left dozens dead late Friday, The New York Times reported.
The attack, which began in the Lido Beach neighborhood, was claimed by the Islamic militant group al-Shabaab, which has been waging an insurgency against the Somali government for nearly two decades, according to The New York Times.
“We heard a big explosion followed by gunfire,” witness Mohamed Jibril, who said he was nearby with friends at the time of the attack, told the media. “I have never seen anything like this in my life,” he added. “I saw many people lying on the beach, asking for help, but no one tried to help them because the shooting was still going on.”
This evening I visited Erdogan Hospital to meet with victims of the horrific terrorist attack on Lido Beach.
Rest assured, we are taking strict action against those responsible.
Our hearts go out to the families who have lost loved ones and we pray for a speedy recovery for those injured. pic.twitter.com/kg2BjbVdTW
— Hamza Abdi Barre (@HamzaAbdiBarre) August 3, 2024
The New York Times, citing authorities, reported that police killed three terrorists involved in the attack. “Security forces eliminated all three Shabaab assailants who entered the hotel and took hostage guests and beachgoers who had taken refuge inside the building,” Somali police spokesman Abdifatah Adan Hassan said, according to the paper. (Related: Jihadist rebels drive into Somali hotel with explosives-laden car before sending in armed men)
President Hassan Sheikh Mohammed offered his condolences and stated his government's determination to eradicate Al-Shabaab.
“The terrorist attack at Lido Beach demonstrates the brutality of the attackers and their intent to kill Somali people everywhere,” he said in a statement, according to the New York Times.
The attack is the latest in a string of violence in the region, including a six-hour siege at a seaside hotel in 2023 and a car bomb explosion at a cafe last month.
