Five killed, 20 injured in Mogadishu Café blast

Somali police confirmed that a car bomb explosion inside a café in the Bondeere area of Mogadishu on Sunday evening killed five people and injured 20 others.

The incident occurred around 11 pm while people were gathered to watch the Euro football final between Spain and England.

Witnesses reported that the blast caused further chaos as people tried to escape.

Some individuals were injured while attempting to jump the perimeter wall of the café, while others sustained injuries in the resulting stampede.

The spokesperson for the Somali police, Abdifatah Adan, confirmed the details of the incident.

"Preliminary police reports confirm five fatalities and around 20 injuries," he stated. He also noted that the explosion was the cause of the fatalities.

Police and ambulances responded promptly to the scene following the explosion.

Authorities have since cordoned off the area around the café close to the presidential palace compound, Villa Somalia. This area is typically busy in the evenings, with people engaging in business and leisure activities.

Before and after pictures of the cafe that was damaged in the explosion on June 14, 2024. (Photo: Handout)

The explosion came just one day after a separate incident at Mogadishu Central Prison, where Al-Shabaab inmates serving life and death sentences attempted to escape.

The incident began with a confrontation between the inmates and the prison security guards. The inmates, primarily members of Al-Shabaab, gained access to weapons and started shooting inside the prison.

The police confirmed this incident in a statement, noting that they managed to neutralise the armed inmates.

"Security forces have concluded an operation in Mogadishu Central Prison where terrorists who were sentenced to death attacked prison guards. The security forces neutralised five terrorist inmates involved in the incident," the statement read.

Four of the inmates were killed during the confrontation while four prison warders sustained injuries. The rapid response by the Somali Custodial Corps was credited with preventing further escalation and ensuring the safety of other inmates and prison staff.

Following the incident, the bodies of the deceased inmates were displayed and identified as members of Al-Shabaab serving death sentences.

The police highlighted that the swift action by the security forces was crucial in maintaining control and preventing a larger crisis within the prison.