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14 November 2018

Explosives detonated near the Sahafi Hotel in Somalia killing 52 and wounding 100 in an attack  claimed by al Shabaab.

On 9 November 2018, two car bombs and one explosive in a three-wheeled “tuk tuk” vehicle detonated in Mogadishu, Somalia. The Islamist militant group al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack. At least 52 people, including civilians, were killed by the attack as of 12 November, which is much higher than the initial death toll of 17. Around 100 people were injured.  

The explosions targeted a busy area of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia located along the south-eastern coast, near the Sahafi Hotel and Somalia’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID). Al Shabaab’s military operation spokesman, Abdiasis Abu Musab, told Reuters that the group “targeted [the hotel] because it acts as a government base.” In addition to government officials, the area was filled with pedestrians and civilians in traffic. The bombs incinerated cars, motorcycles, and minibuses when they exploded. Gunfire broke out following the explosions, and multiple news outlets, including CNN and Reuters, reported that militants attempted to enter the Sahafi hotel but were shot by policemen and security guards. Hussein Nur, a shopkeeper who was injured during the attack, said that, “gunfire killed several people.”

This is not the first time al Shabaab has orchestrated an attack targeting areas frequented by government officials and security forces. In 2015, an attack was carried out in the same hotel and resulted in the death of the then-owner of the Sahafi hotel. His son, Abdifatah Abdirashid, who took over as manager following  the death of his father, was amongst those killed in the recent explosions.

The United Nations Security Council strongly condemned the attack, stating that terror attacks are “criminal and unjustifiable.” They also emphasized the need to support the development of stability and peace in Somalia.

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