MOGADISHU, Somalia (AXADLE) – In a tragic incident on Wednesday afternoon, a catastrophic bomb explosion claimed seven lives and injured another six at a bustling tea shop within the Mogadishu Police Academy. An Al-Shabaab operative sacrificed himself, eyewitnesses confirmed.
While people gathered for a leisurely afternoon tea, the unthinkable happened when the assailant struck.
“Everyone was just sipping tea, engrossed in their own world. Suddenly, a blast knocked us off our feet,” narrated Abdirahman Mohamed, who witnessed the event unfold.
The assailant, acting solo, slipped into the teahouse around 3:27 p.m. before triggering the explosion, as per the Somali police release.
“The grim casualty count stands at seven, comprising both officers and civilians, with six others left wounded,” declared the official statement from the police.
Eyewitness accounts noted the suicide bomber’s guise as a police officer, allowing him to blend unnoticed among those enjoying their afternoon tea.
This Police Academy, a crucial hub for training Somalia’s law enforcement, has frequently found itself in the crosshairs of militant aggression.
Al-Shabaab, notorious for its violent acts, took ownership of the assault, asserting that their operative navigated through security to perpetrate this brutal act.
The Somali police face a daunting challenge as Al-Shabaab appears to have woven into security frameworks, including police ranks, escalating the difficulty of thwarting these relentless attacks.
