At least 17 people were killed when Islamist gunmen struck a popular beachside restaurant in the Somali capital of Mogadishu late on Thursday (January 21), Somali police said.
Al Shabaab, a militant group aligned with al Qaeda, said its members set off two car bombs at the Beach View Cafe on Mogadishu’s popular Lido beach, engaging in a gun battle for hours with government troops trying to flush them out.
“The attackers started shooting from the seaside and I ran to a gate hoping it was safe. Then, a huge explosion erupted at the gate. I saw many people lying on the ground and crying for help. I managed to escape from the scene before the attackers had taken full control of the bar,” said Sheikh Somow, who was at the cafe during the attack.
Police said al Shabaab fighters set off the first car bomb at dusk. A huge second blast, which witnesses said echoed around the city centre, struck about an hour later as government soldiers laid siege to the restaurant (Reuters)