A ruthless attack by extremists on a beachfront hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, has resulted in the deaths of nine individuals, including three members of the security forces. The attack took place on the evening of Friday, 9th June, and carried on into the early hours of Saturday.
According to a statement released by the local police on Saturday, in addition to those tragically killed, another 10 individuals suffered injuries in the prolonged assault. Miraculously, security forces managed to rescue 84 people from the besieged hotel.
The notorious terrorist organisation al-Shabaab, an affiliate of al-Qaida in East Africa, has claimed responsibility for the abhorrent attack. The group has a history of launching attacks on hotels and other prominent locations in Mogadishu, frequently employing suicide bombings as an initial tactic.
Eyewitnesses conveyed to The Associated Press that some individuals were trapped within the Pearl Beach hotel during the attack. The hotel is particularly popular with government officials, and Lido Beach, where it is situated, is one of the most favoured spots in Mogadishu.
The director of Amin Ambulance service, Abdulkadir Adan, commented on the attack, stating, “what occurred last night was quite tragic as it occurred in an unexpected setting and at an unexpected time.”
The attack was launched shortly before 8:00 pm local time (5:00 pm GMT) on Friday when seven attackers stormed the Pearl Beach hotel. A tense and ferocious exchange of gunfire between the militants and security forces eventually ended the assault around 2:00 am on Saturday. Police confirmed that all of the attackers were killed during the gunfight.
Witnesses recounted hearing gunfire and explosions emanating from the hotel on Lido Beach. Abdirahim Ali, an eyewitness, told AFP, “I was near the Pearl Beach restaurant when a heavy explosion occurred in front of the building.”
Another witness, Yaasin Nur, who was present at the restaurant, mentioned to AFP that the establishment was “full of people as it was recently renovated.”
United Nations’ Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has previously highlighted in a report that the past year has seen the highest number of civilian casualties in Somalia since 2017 due to the escalated insurgency by the Islamist al-Shabaab group. Between September 2022 and February 2023, the UN mission in Somalia noted a staggering increase of over 150% in civilian casualties, numbering 1,059, including 382 fatalities, with most of them attributed to al-Shabaab.
This horrifying attack on the Pearl Beach hotel follows closely behind another incident where al-Shabaab militants killed a significant number of Ugandan soldiers. The soldiers were part of an African Union peacekeeping mission stationed approximately 110 km (68 miles) south of Mogadishu in the Lower Shabelle region.
The international community and regional partners have been urged to continue supporting Somalia in its ongoing struggle against terrorism.
Image Credit: Hassan Ali Elmi/AFP
