On Sunday night (July 14), a car bomb attack outside a café in the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu, resulted in at least 5 deaths and 20 injuries.
According to Reuters, on July 14, a car bomb attack occurred near the presidential palace in Somalia, resulting in the destruction of 10 cars and damage to several buildings.
Local police indicated that the explosion took place while customers at the café were watching the final of the 2024 UEFA European Championship on TV.
Al-Shabaab militants in Somalia claimed responsibility for the attack through their media, stating that the target of the bombing was a place where security personnel and government officials held nighttime meetings.
The Islamist extremist group Al-Shabaab frequently carries out deadly attacks in Mogadishu and other areas controlled by the federal government, prompting the Somali government to undertake efforts to eliminate them.
On Saturday (July 13), in a prison in Mogadishu, prisoners convicted of being associated with Al-Shabaab attempted a jailbreak which resulted in a clash with guards, leading to at least 8 fatalities.
According to information from the U.S. government official website, Al-Shabaab is an affiliate of Al-Qaeda and maintains connections with other Al-Qaeda affiliated groups.
Al-Shabaab originated from the radical faction of the former Islamic Courts Union in Somalia, which took control of parts of southern Somalia in the latter half of 2006.
Since the end of 2006, Al-Shabaab and associated militias have waged violent insurgencies against the transitional government of Somalia utilizing guerrilla warfare and terrorism tactics.
On July 11, 2010, Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Kampala, resulting in the death of 76 people, including an American citizen.
Al-Shabaab also carried out attacks on civilians in 2013 and 2015, causing a total of at least 213 fatalities.
The U.S. government designated Al-Shabaab as a foreign terrorist organization in March 2008.