At least 32 people have been killed and many more wounded in an attack on a…
At least 32 people have been killed and many more wounded in an attack on a popular beach in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, according to officials.
“More than 32 civilians died in this attack, and about 63 others were wounded, some of them critically,” police spokesman Abdifatah Adan Hassan told reporters, increasing the initial death toll from seven.
A witness told The Associated Press news agency in a phone call that he saw an attacker wearing an explosive vest moments before the man “blew himself up next to the beach-view hotel”. Mohamud Moalim also said some of his friends who were with him at the hotel were killed and others were wounded.
Lido beach, a popular area in Mogadishu, is bustling on Friday nights as Somalis enjoy their weekend. The area has in the past been targeted by al-Shabab fighters.
Al-Shabab has been fighting to topple the fragile central government in Mogadishu for more than 17 years, carrying out numerous bombings and other attacks in the capital and other parts of the country.
The government depends on the support of foreign troops to stay in power. It has also joined forces with local armed groups to fight the group in a campaign supported by an African Union force and United States air raids.