A suicide bomber targeted a tea shop in Bar Bulsho Mogadishu, near the presidential palace in central Somalia, resulting in at least seven fatalities and numerous injuries. The explosion occurred on Friday, with the cafe being a popular spot for both Somali security forces and civilians.
Police spokesman Sadik Dudishe confirmed that all the casualties were individuals spending time drinking tea in the cafe. Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked extremist group, claimed responsibility for the attack, reporting 11 dead and 18 wounded in a statement through its media unit.
The tea shop, known for its afternoon and evening crowds, was hit during a time when patrons gathered to drink tea and chew khat, a mildly narcotic shrub. The blast happened at a checkpoint on a road leading to the parliament and the president’s office.
This incident follows closely after a car bombing in central Somalia that killed five civilians and injured 13, as well as a truck bombing in Beledweyne on Saturday, which resulted in 21 deaths and numerous injuries. Al-Shabab has been conducting a series of attacks, highlighting challenges faced by Somalia’s government in combating the extremist group.
