A car bomb exploded outside a crowded café in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Sunday, July 14, 2024, killing at least 5 people and injuring around 20 others. The blast occurred at the ‘Top Coffee Restaurant’ or ‘Top Café’ in the city center, which was packed with football fans watching the European Championship 2024 final between Spain and England.According to local media and police reports, the explosion was powerful enough to send a large fireball and columns of smoke into the air. The Somali National News Agency reported that the car bomb was detonated by Al-Shabaab terrorists, a jihadist group linked to Al-Qaeda. This group has been waging a violent insurgency against Somalia’s government for over 17 years.The incident comes just a day after an attempted prison break in Mogadishu, where five Al-Shabaab fighters were killed in a shootout with prison guards. Three guards were also killed and 18 others injured in that incident.The bombing is reminiscent of a 2010 World Cup terrorist attack by Al-Shabaab that killed 74 people. The group, which considers football as ‘haram’ (forbidden), had also attempted to attack a stadium in Mogadishu during a football tournament a few months ago.Authorities have cordoned off the area and an investigation is ongoing. The attack highlights the ongoing security concerns in Mogadishu, which had been relatively peaceful in recent months.
Key points
- A car bomb exploded at a café in Mogadishu during the Euro 2024 final, killing at least 5 and injuring around 20.
- The attack is believed to be carried out by Al-Shabaab, a jihadist group linked to Al-Qaeda.
- This incident follows an attempted prison break on Saturday, where at least eight people were killed.
- The bombing highlights ongoing security concerns in Mogadishu, despite recent relative peace.
Contradictions👾There are discrepancies in the reported death toll, with some sources citing 11 deaths, while most others report 5 deaths.
👾Some sources describe the explosion as a suicide bombing, while others refer to it as a car bomb.
