Somalia: An Al-shabab Raid On A Seaside Hotel Claimed 32 Lives

Somali police reported on Saturday that an attack on a seaside hotel in the country’s capital, Mogadishu, the night before had left 32 people dead and 63 injured.

Al-Shabab, an affiliate of Al-Qaida in East Africa, claimed over the radio that its members were responsible for the attack.

According to police spokesperson Maj. Abdifatah Adan Hassan, the attack claimed the life of one soldier while leaving the other victims unharmed. According to Hassan, there was another soldier hurt in the incident. Witnesses reported hearing gunfire after an explosion.

Somalis adore their weekend, and on Friday nights, Mogadishu’s famed Lido Beach comes alive.

A witness, Mohamud Moalim, told The Associated Press that he spotted the assailant, just before the man “blew himself up next to the beach-view hotel,” wearing an explosive vest.

According to Moalim, some of his companions from the hotel died, while others suffered injuries.

Abdisalam Adam, a different witness, told the AP that he had assisted in getting several injured persons to the hospital and that he “saw many people lying on the ground.”

Terrorists connected to al-Shabab have already targeted the Lido Beach region. Nine individuals died in the most recent incident that occurred last year.