A devastating terrorist attack on Lido Beach in Mogadishu, Somalia, on August 2, 2024, has left at least 32 civilians dead and 63 others injured, some critically. The assault, which targeted a popular beach area and the nearby Beach View Hotel, began when a suicide bomber detonated explosives among a group of young people on the hotel’s terrace, followed by armed gunmen storming the area.The attack has been claimed by al-Shabaab, an Islamist militant group linked to Al-Qaeda, which has been waging an insurgency against the Somali government for over 17 years. Somali security forces responded swiftly, engaging in a night-long battle with the attackers. According to police spokesperson Abdifatah Adan Hassan, ‘More than 32 civilians died in this attack and about 63 others were wounded, some of them critically’.The incident has drawn widespread condemnation, with former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire stating, ‘The fact that the terrorist attack coincides with this night when the beach is the most congested shows the hostility of the terrorists to the Somali people’. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned the attack, pledging continued support for Somalia.This attack follows a period of relative calm in Mogadishu and comes after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared a ‘total war’ against al-Shabaab in August 2022. The incident underscores the ongoing security challenges faced by Somalia, despite intensified military operations against militant groups.
Key points
- At least 32 civilians were killed and 63 injured in a terrorist attack on Lido Beach, Mogadishu.
- The attack, claimed by al-Shabaab, involved a suicide bombing and armed gunmen.
- Somali security forces engaged the attackers, killing five and capturing one.
- The incident highlights ongoing security challenges in Somalia despite government efforts.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reported number of attackers killed, with some sources stating five and others mentioning three.
