Saturday June 10, 2023
Credit: Hussein Mohamed / Twitter @HussienM12
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somali security forces concluded a seven-hour operation early Saturday, neutralizing a siege by Al-Shabaab militants on the Pearl Beach Hotel in Mogadishu. The attack resulted in at least 15 fatalities, according to earlier reports.
The siege, initiated by five attackers with coordinated explosions before they opened fire, was brought to an end with all attackers neutralized. More detailed information about casualties and property damage is anticipated in the coming hours.
"Security forces have successfully neutralized the Al-Shabaab militants behind the Pearl Beach Hotel attack," stated Somalia's state broadcaster, noting, "A significant number of civilians were safely evacuated during the operation."
Eyewitnesses reported hearing gunfire and explosions at the recently refurbished hotel, a prominent venue frequented by officials, situated on the bustling Lido Beach. As the conflict unfolded into Friday night, dozens of civilians were evacuated, while real-time information on additional casualties remained elusive.
The assault was claimed by Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group waging a decade and a half long insurgency against Somalia's internationally recognized government. Despite losing control of most urban territories, the group continues to exert influence in rural regions, persisting in their attacks against both security forces and civilians.
Abdikadir Abdirahman, the director of Aamin Ambulance Services, confirmed they had treated seven individuals wounded in the attack.
This event echoes a similar Al-Shabaab attack on Lido Beach in 2020, where ten civilians and a police officer lost their lives.
Last year, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared an "all-out war" on Al-Shabaab. This call to action came following a heart-wrenching 30-hour Al-Shabaab siege on a Mogadishu hotel in August 2022, which resulted in 21 fatalities and 117 injuries. The incident raised pressing concerns about the effectiveness of the security forces, resulting in a series of arrests.
The group was also responsible for twin car bombings in Mogadishu in October 2022, which marked the deadliest five-year attack, causing 121 deaths and 333 injuries.