11 die as bomb blast hits Somali restaurant at lunchtime

At least 11 people have been reported dead on Thursday after a bomb explosion that ripped through a busy street into a nearby restaurant in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.

Security officials and witnesses reported bodies scattered all over as clouds of smoke filled the air after the bomb exploded on Mogadishu’s Maka Al-Mukarama road, an area busy with businesses and travellers.

Abdulkadir Abdirahman Adan, director of the Aamin Ambulance service who confirmed the explosion said “The death toll we have confirmed so far is 11 people, with 16 others wounded,” adding that there could be more losses.

Read also: Malta takes control of tanker ship hijacked by migrants

Speaking to journalists about the incident, an eyewitness, Abdulahi Osman said:

“The car bomb struck a restaurant along the road. This really was a disaster.

“I saw 16 people carried from the blast scene — and more than 10 of them were already dead.’’

However, Mogadishu has consistently been targeted by the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Shabaab insurgents, who have been fighting for over a decade to knock over the government.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now