Aug. 4 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has “strongly” condemned this Saturday the attack carried out the day before by the Islamist militia Al Shabaab on the beach of Lido in Mogadishu (Somalia), which has cost the lives of at least 32 people and left another 63 injured, according to the latest report.
“The Secretary-General regrets that the people of Somalia continue to be victims of these heinous acts of terrorism and reiterates that the United Nations firmly supports the Government and people of Somalia against terrorism and violent extremism,” his deputy spokesman, Farhan Haq, said in a statement. He also conveyed Guterres’ condolences to the families of the victims and his wishes for a “speedy recovery” to the injured.
The acting special representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, James Swan, has described the attack as an “abominable act” and reiterated “the support and solidarity of the United Nations with the Government of Somalia in its efforts to guarantee peace, security and stability in the country.”
The attack began at around 7.30pm on Friday when one of the attackers blew himself up in front of the Beach View hotel, in the middle of a crowd, before five other jihadists began to open fire indiscriminately on the hotel guests.
Minutes later, jihadists and Somali security forces began a shootout at the hotel that lasted until after midnight, resulting in the deaths of all the attackers, security sources confirmed to the official Somali news agency SONNA.
Somalia has in recent months stepped up offensives against Al Shabaab with the support of clans and local militias as part of a series of decisions taken by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who promised upon taking office in May 2022 to put the fight against terrorism at the heart of his efforts to stabilise the African country.
However, attacks on government institutions and hotels and restaurants continue to occur in Mogadishu, where Islamists believe a Western way of life prevails. In July, 11 people were killed in a terrorist attack on a restaurant during the European Football Championship final.
Al Shabaab’s attacks on Lido beach are almost cyclical. A suicide car bombing and a shooting attack killed more than 20 people in January 2016. Four years later, another similar attack left at least eleven dead. In 2023, Al Shabaab killed six civilians and three soldiers in the same location in the capital.
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