At least 17 people were killed when
Islamist gunmen struck a popular beachside restaurant in the Somali capital of
Mogadishu on Thursday night, Somali police said.
Al Shabaab, a militant group aligned
with al Qaeda, said its members set off two car bombs at the Beach View Cafe on
Mogadishu’s popular Lido beach, engaging in a gun battle for hours with
government troops trying to flush them out.
“The operation ended at 3 a.m. Friday
night and at least 17 civilians were killed,” police officer Osman Nur told
Reuters on Friday.
Police said al Shabaab fighters set
off the first car bomb at dusk. A huge second blast which witnesses said echoed
around the city centre, struck about an hour later as government soldiers laid
siege to the restaurant.
Reuters/UO
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