At least 10 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a military recruitment centre in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, on Sunday, May 18.
The attacker detonated explosives among a group of young recruits waiting to register at the Damanyo military base, witnesses told Reuters.
Teenagers were reportedly lined up at the base’s gate when the blast occurred.
“A deafening blast occurred, and the area was covered by dense smoke,” said one eyewitness, Abdisalan Mohamed, who was passing by in a bus.
Eyewitnesses describe horrific scene
According to a military officer, Captain Suleiman, the attack was carried out by a man who emerged from a speeding tuk-tuk.
“He ran into the queue and then blew himself up. I saw 10 people dead, including recruits and passers-by. The death toll may rise,” he told Reuters.
Images from the scene showed dozens of abandoned shoes scattered around the base, a grim reminder of the chaos that followed the blast.
Medical officials confirmed that at least 30 people were wounded, with six dying shortly after being admitted.
Attack follows killing of Somali army commander
While no group has claimed responsibility yet, the attack resembles previous operations by al-Shabab, the al-Qaeda-linked group that has fought the Somali government for nearly 20 years.
In 2023, a similar suicide bombing at the nearby Jale Siyad base killed 25 soldiers.
The bombing came a day after the assassination of Colonel Abdirahmaan Hujaale, the commander of Battalion 26, in the Hiiran region.
Reports suggest al-Shabab may be increasing its infiltration of security forces.
The government has since cordoned off the area as investigations continue.
