Published: 14:16, July 15, 2024
Car bomb kills five, injures 20 outside restaurant in Somalia's capital
By Reuters
A group of people look at the debris and destruction at a cafe in Mogadishu on July 15, 2024 following a car bomb blast where five people were killed where football fans were watching the Euro 2024 final late on July 14, 2024.  (PHOTO / AFP)

MOGADISHU — A car bomb exploded outside a restaurant in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Sunday night, killing five and injuring 20 as patrons were watching the final of the Euro 2024 football tournament on TV, police said, blaming Islamist insurgents.

The bomb destroyed 10 cars and damaged several buildings nearby in a well-guarded area near the Presidential Palace, a Reuters reporter said.

The Islamist group, which once ruled much of Somalia, has been fighting for years to impose its strict interpretation of Islam on Somalia

READ MORE: Two car bombs in Somalia kill at least 100, injure 300

Al Shabaab militants claimed responsibility for the attack on an affiliated radio station, saying the bombing targeted a place where security and government workers meet at night.

The Islamist group, which once ruled much of Somalia, has been fighting for years to impose its strict interpretation of Islam on Somalia.

READ MORE: At least one killed in blasts targeting troops in Somalia

The insurgents have frequently launched raids and deadly attacks in Mogadishu and other regions controlled by the federal government in the last two years, despite losing large swathes of territory to government forces and their allies.