A suicide bomber detonated explosives in a restaurant in Somalia’s capital on Thursday, resulting in at least seven deaths and six injuries, according to local police.
The perpetrator of the attack has not been identified, but the Islamist militant group al Shabaab is known for executing bombings and assaults in Mogadishu and throughout the vulnerable Horn of Africa region.
The targeted restaurant, located across from a police training facility, was popular among law enforcement officers, as noted by a security source.
“My cousin and four of his colleagues died in the blast. We are rushing to the scene to retrieve his body,” said Hassan Osman, a relative of one of the victims.
Al Shabaab, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda, frequently targets military installations and government sites as part of its campaign to topple Somalia’s government and impose its own rule.