Suicide Bomber Strikes Busy Tea Shop Near Mogadishu Palace
A suicide bomber blasted a popular tea shop in Bar Bulsho, central Mogadishu, killing at least seven people and injuring many more. The cafe, located just steps from the presidential palace, was packed with Somali security forces and civilians at the time.
Al-Shabab Claims Deadly Attack
Police spokesman Sadik Dudishe confirmed that all the victims were enjoying tea when the bomb exploded. Extremist group Al-Shabab, linked to al-Qaeda, quickly took responsibility, claiming in a statement via its media wing that 11 were killed and 18 wounded.
Targeting a Local Hangout
The tea shop is a hotspot for locals who gather in the afternoons and evenings to sip tea and chew khat, a mild narcotic leaf. The blast struck a checkpoint on a busy road leading to Somalia’s parliament and the president’s office, turning a daily ritual into a deadly scene.
Violence Surges as Al-Shabab Steps Up Attacks
- Friday’s blast follows a recent car bombing in central Somalia that killed five civilians and injured 13.
- A truck bombing in Beledweyne on Saturday claimed 21 lives and wounded many more.
- Al-Shabab’s brutal campaigns expose the ongoing struggle of Somalia’s government to control the extremist menace.
