Dozens of people killed in Mogadishu, Somalia car bombings near Sahafi Hotel

Monday, November 12, 2018 

On Friday at about 4 p.m. local time, four car bombs detonated near Sahafi Hotel in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. About four to five armed attackers reportedly attempted to enter the hotel through a hole in the wall. The attackers were shot by police and the hotel security guards. This has resulted in the death of at least 53 people and injury of at least 100 people, Agence France-Presse news agency quoted officials on Sunday morning.

A witness, Abdiaziz Ibrahim, who was a former spokesperson for the Internal Security Ministry, said the attackers were dressed in police uniform, according to CNN. The victim count continued to rise on Saturday. According to a police official, some of the bodies were burnt and impossible to identify.

al-Shabab, a militant Islamist group in Somalia, claimed the attack. According to Reuters, they said the hotel was a "government base" where "government officials" were always present.

The owner of the hotel also died in the attack. The hotel was located in the vicinity of Somalia's Criminal Investigations Department.

Sources

• "Death Toll from Somalia Bomb Attack Rises to 53" — novinite, November 12, 2018
• AFP. "Death toll from Somali bomb blasts rises above 50" — The Guardian, November 11, 2018
• Anna Cardovillis and Ralph Ellis. "Car bombings in Mogadishu kill at least 30 people, police say" — CNN, November 10, 2018
• "At least 40 killed in four suicide car bombings at Somali hotel" — Daily Sabah, November 9, 2018
• Rael Ombuor. "Car bombs rock Somali capital, killing at least 20 in attacks claimed by al-Shabab" — Washington Post, November 9, 2018