Six more people were hurt in the attack in the capital of Somalia, which al-Shabab claimed responsibility for.
A suicide bomber detonated an unidentified device at a cafe outside a police training school in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, leaving seven dead and six injured.The victims were people who had been drinking tea on Thursday outside the General Kaahiye Police Academy, including both officers and civilians, according to the police.
Somali police patrol near the scene of a suicide bomber attack at a cafe in Mogadishu, Somalia, on October 17, 2024 [Farah Abdi Warsameh/AP Photo]
According to a police statement, “the explosion occurred under trees where residents of the area spend time to rest.”The armed organisation associated with al-Qaeda, al-Shabab, took credit for the assault. The group has launched an ongoing offensive against the government of Somalia, often focussing on military and state institutions in their efforts to topple it.Mohamed Ali, a resident, reported hearing a loud explosion to The Associated Press news agency. He remarked, “Everything was chaos, and the cafe was full of people enjoying their tea.”
Witnesses reported that following the explosion, rescuers arrived on scene quickly.A Madina Hospital paramedic reported that multiple injured individuals were being treated. She stated, “We are trying to rehabilitate the wounded, many of whom had serious injuries.”Protests against al-Shabab erupted in August after an attack on a Mogadishu public beach claimed the lives of over thirty people.
For the government to remain in power, foreign military support has been crucial. Additionally, it has teamed up with regional armed groups to combat al-Shabab in a campaign aided by airstrikes from the US and an African Union force.Foreign troops under the African Transition Mission in Somalia are currently handing over security responsibilities to Somalia; their deployment is scheduled to conclude in December.