20 people killed and over 40 injured in Beach View attack

A suicide car bomber rammed the gates of a restaurant near a beach in Somalia’s capital before gunmen fought their way into the building in an attack that killed at least 20 people and injured 40 others on Thursday, according Internal Security and medic.

16 injured people of which one of them succumbed to the injury, were taken Madina Hospital whereas 25 others were admitted at DarulSifa Hospital, two doctors told Goobjoob News.

A deadly siege of more than ten hours was broken by the security forces where they rescued more than fifteen people.

Somali internal security minister, Abdirisaq Mohamed said the leader of the attackers was captured alive and his accomplices were killed in the attack.

Blasts and bursts of gunfire could be heard as Somali Special Forces went from room to room pursuing the al-Shabab gunmen who were holed up inside the restaurant.

Somali prime minster Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke has condemned the attack as ‘barbaric’.

UN Special envoy to Somalia Michael Keating has condemned the attacks noting that Liddo beach was a symbol of life in Mogadishu.

“I strongly condemn tonight’s attack. #Lido beach is symbol of #Somalia life. My thoughts are with the people at this beach of #Mogadishu.” said Keating in a twitter post.

Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack, in a broadcast on its online radio Radio Andulus late on Thursday.

Al-Shabab attacked Kenyan peacekeepers in south-western Somalia last week were the group claimed to have killed about 100 Kenyans and seized weapons and military vehicles.