Somalia cafe attack toll climbs to nine: security sources

Mogadishu, Somalia – AFP

The death toll from a blast at a cafe in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu has climbed to nine, security sources told AFP Monday, after a car bomb struck the venue packed with football fans watching the Euro 2024 final.

“Nine civilians were killed and 20 others wounded in the explosion,” Mohamed Yusuf, an official from the national security agency said, raising the official toll of five given by the authorities late Sunday.

“There were many people inside the restaurant, most of them youth who were watching the football match… but thanks to God, most of them made their way out safely after using ladders to climb up and jump over the backside perimeter wall,” he said.

Images posted online showed a huge fireball and plumes of smoke billowing into the night sky as the explosion ripped through the popular restaurant in the centre of the city on Sunday.

Police officer Mohamed Salad rushed to the scene a few minutes after the blast and told AFP that several bodies were discovered under the debris.

“Five people died outside the building and on the main road including drivers of vehicles that were passing by the area”, he said.

“Four people died inside the restaurant, some of them removed from under the debris,” he added.

No group claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Witnesses described scenes of panic and chaos after the blast, with people scrambling for safety and the main entrance to the cafe destroyed by the blaze.

“I was inside the restaurant watching the football match when I heard a huge explosion, there was smoke, dust and fire at the front side of the restaurant and we panicked,” Said Muktar told AFP.

“I and several other people rushed towards the main entrance, but it was completely inaccessible,” he said, adding that he saw people “bleeding and screaming”.

“The whole situation was chaos,” he said.