An Al-Shabaab suicide bomber and gunmen attacked a crowded beach in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Saturday, killing 37 people and injuring many others, marking one of the deadliest recent assaults in the country. The Al-Qaeda-linked group has been insurgent against the internationally recognized federal government for over 17 years and has previously targeted the popular Lido beach area frequented by business people and officials.
The attack began late Friday when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive, followed by armed militants storming the beach. Survivors reported that after the initial explosion, gunmen aimed to “kill everyone they could.” Graphic videos shared online depicted bloodied bodies on the sand.
Somali Health Minister Ali Haji Adam confirmed to reporters that the death toll stood at 37. Eleven people are in intensive care, 64 remain hospitalized, and 137 with minor injuries have been discharged. Officer Mohamed Omar stated that the attackers randomly shot civilians. Security forces responded, killing five gunmen, while one suicide bomber detonated himself on the beach.
Police spokesman Abdifatah Adan Hassan noted that the group was targeting both officials and ordinary civilians. Witnesses recounted scenes of chaos, with one survivor describing the devastation and the presence of shocked, injured individuals. Hospitals called for blood donations due to the influx of wounded.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced an emergency meeting with key security officials, while Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre condemned the attack as a “barbaric atrocity” that contradicts their cultural values. UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned the “heinous acts of terrorism,” and the African Union’s chairman expressed condolences, calling the incident horrific. Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry also condemned the attack, particularly the targeting of civilians, and offered condolences to the victims’ families.
Al-Shabaab has a history of bombings and attacks in Mogadishu, including a 2023 siege on a beachside hotel that resulted in six civilian deaths and a recent car bomb that killed five at a café. In March, militants attacked another hotel in Mogadishu, killing three and wounding 27, highlighting a resurgence in violence.