Five die in Somalia car bomb
Bomber smashed through checkpoint before detonation
MOGADISHU // At least five people were killed and 28 injured in Mogadishu yesterday when extremists detonated a suicide car bomb outside a popular hotel close to the presidential palace.
Al Shabab, which is aligned to Al Qaeda, said it was responsible for the attack.
“We have confirmed five people killed including security guards”, said police officer Mohamed Abdulkadir. He said the vehicle rammed through a checkpoint and was fired on by security forces before it exploded outside the SYL hotel.
The hotel is situated close to the main entrance to the Villa Somalia government complex that includes the presidential palace, ministry buildings and residences. “The blast was very huge but, thanks to God, the number of casualties is less than the devastation suggests,” Mr Abdulkadir said. “We have received 28 people who were wounded in the blast,” said Mohamed Yusuf, the director of the city’s main Medina hospital.
A witness described seeing a car speeding towards the area, followed by a large explosion.
“Huge smoke and fire went up in the sky,” said Elmi Ahmed.
The explosion caused widespread damage to buildings in the area and debris was scattered across the usually busy carriageway.
Al Shabab said it had targeted the SYL hotel because it “is close to the presidential palace, and also home to apostates and unbelievers”. The group claimed to have killed 30 in the “martyrdom operation” and said a number of ministers and MPs were injured.
This claim could not be immediately verified but Al Shabab frequently exaggerates the impact of its attacks.
The fortified SYL hotel, popular with government officials, business people and visiting diplomats and delegations, was attacked in February this year and January last year.
At least five died in last year’s attack when a suicide car bomber rammed the hotel gates on the eve of a visit by Turkey presi- dent, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In February this year 14 people were killed when twin blasts were triggered close to the hotel and the neighbouring Peace Garden on a busy Friday afternoon.
Both of the previous attacks were also claimed by Al Shabab, which left the capital five years ago but continues to use violence against government, military, civilian and foreign targets in its fight to overthrow the internationally backed government. The group was expected to try to violently disrupt elections scheduled to be held next month and October.
The militants also staged repeated attacks in neighbouring Kenya, and a recent security analysis warned security forces that the group was expanding its horizons with cells active in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, as well as Somalia.
Al Shabab said it was responsible for the attack