A car bomb exploded outside the ‘Top Coffee’ café in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Sunday, July 14, 2024, during the broadcast of the Euro 2024 final between Spain and England. The attack, which occurred in a well-guarded area near the presidential palace, has resulted in conflicting casualty reports, with death tolls ranging from 5 to 11, and around 20 people injured.The explosion caused widespread destruction, damaging nearby buildings and destroying at least 10 vehicles. Many café patrons, mostly young people, managed to escape by climbing out of windows and jumping over the back wall of the building.While no group has officially claimed responsibility, the Somali National News Agency (SONNA) attributed the attack to Al-Shabaab, a jihadist group linked to Al-Qaeda. This group has been waging a violent insurgency against Somalia’s government for over 17 years and has a history of targeting locations showing football matches.The attack follows recent violence in Mogadishu, including an attempted prison break by Al-Shabaab militants. It also echoes a 2010 World Cup bombing in Kampala, Uganda, carried out by Al-Shabaab, which killed 74 people.Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has vowed a ‘total war’ against the jihadists. The incident highlights the ongoing security challenges in Somalia, despite efforts to combat extremist groups.
Key points
- A car bomb exploded at a café in Mogadishu during the Euro 2024 final, killing between 5 and 11 people.
- The attack is attributed to Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group.
- This incident follows recent violence in Mogadishu and highlights ongoing security challenges in Somalia.
Contradictions👾There are conflicting reports about the number of casualties, with death tolls ranging from 5 to 11.
👾Some sources report the attack as a car bomb, while others describe it as a suicide attack.
