Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, was shaken by an explosion on Monday night, just two days after a devastating truck bombing at the K5 junction. This time, a suicide bomber set off explosives attached to his waist at a restaurant close to the National Theatre in Mogadishu’s secure green zone, which is also home to the presidential palace. The blast at Blue Sky cafe resulted in several casualties, tragically including the death of a renowned Somali Cable TV personality named Abdifitah Moalim Nur, commonly known as Qays. The police have confirmed that Qays was the only fatality, but four others sustained injuries.
This incident follows closely on the heels of another suicide bombing that occurred two weeks ago at the Bulsho bar near the Sayidka intersection. This attack claimed numerous lives as a result of a suicide bomber detonating himself in that vicinity. Al-Shabaab, the extremist group, took responsibility for the attack, claiming that their target was government intelligence officials present at the scene. However, the police have refuted this claim, stating that no officers were among the casualties.
Sadly, Somalia has gained notoriety as the most perilous country in Africa for journalists, with over 50 journalists losing their lives since 2010, according to the organization Reporters Without Borders.
