A somber day in Mogadishu: 32 dead and over 60 injured in al-Shabab attack on Lido beach

At least 32 individuals have lost their lives and 63 have been wounded in a tragic attack claimed by al-Shabab, which targeted the Lido beach in Mogadishu. The Somali police spokesperson, Abdifatah Adam Hassan, disclosed this information during a press briefing. The incident was reported by the Somali news agency Sonna.

According to initial reports, one of the terrorists detonated himself, causing devastation. Subsequently, security forces prevented three other assailants from gaining entry to a nearby hotel where they could have inflicted further harm. Hassan confirmed the seizure of a vehicle filled with explosives by the police and the arrest of the driver.

A witness, Mohamud Moalim, recounted to the Associated Press witnessing a suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest just moments before the individual “blew himself up near the beachfront hotel.” Another witness, Abdisalam Adam, shared with the AP that he saw “many people lying on the ground” and assisted in transporting some of the injured to the hospital. In the past, the Lido Beach area has been targeted by militants allied with al-Shabab. The previous attack, occurring last year, resulted in the deaths of nine individuals.