A suicide bomber strikes a small restaurant near Sayidka Junction in the heart of Somalia’s capital. Al-Shabaab, the extremist militant group, claimed responsibility for today’s attack, stating that their intended target was intelligence and security personnel frequently visiting the tea shop.
Sayidka Junction, Mogadishu, SOMALIA. By Jama:
The explosion, reverberating throughout the city, created panic and chaos in the vicinity. Eyewitnesses reported a scene of destruction and confusion in the blast’s aftermath.
According to al-Shabaab’s claim, police and intelligence officers were present at the tea shop during the attack. The extremist group also asserted that their operation resulted in significant casualties among the targets. The Somali Digest received reliable reports stating that at least 20 people were killed.
The attack serves as a grim reminder of the persistent threat al-Shabaab poses in Somalia, including in the capital city of Mogadishu.
2021 Sayidka Junction attack
It is not the first time the suspected al-Shabaab militants attacked the Sayidka Junction in close proximity to Villa Somalia, the President’s office. In February 2021, one person lost their life, and ten others sustained injuries when a car bomb exploded at the same place.
“At 9:10 AM, a terrorist car loaded with explosives … rammed into a checkpoint near the Sayidka Junction. The security forces opened fire at the car while speeding to the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu,” a police statement read.
Daynile attack
In recent months, Mogadishu has faced a surge in al-Shabaab’s attacks. A deadly explosion killed two people in the Daynile district on Wednesday morning. One of the deceased was a National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) commander; the other victim was reportedly a civilian. Several people also sustained injuries. The terrorist group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the atrocity.
Preliminary reports suggested that an improvised explosive device (IED) concealed in the ground caused the blast. The attack targeted the four-wheel military vehicle, which the NISA commander was driving as part of a routine security inspection in the Daynile neighbourhood.
