A cafe “packed” with Euros fans watching the Spain vs England match has been hit with a suicide bombing, according to unconfirmed reports.
Smoke and flames could be seen rising over Mogadishu, Somalia in videos posted to social media. The recently opened cafe called “Top Coffee” was believed to be the target while local media outlets reported gunfire at the scene.
Journalist Harun Maruf shared the unconfirmed reports on social media platform X, claiming that witnesses saw “multiple casualties”.
He wrote: “BREAKING: Multiple fatalities have been reported following a car bomb outside a tea and coffee shop in Mogadishu. Sources say some customers were watching #EURO2024 game between Spain and England when the explosion occurred.”
These reports are yet to be confirmed by police or other law enforcement officials, but local media are reporting witness accounts that say the building is now partially collapsed and there are bodies on the floor.
Their reports estimate that 10 people are dead and even more are injured as a result of the blast they are claiming was carried out by militant group Al Shabaab.
In March, members of the group attacked a hotel in Mogadishu, resulting in a 12-hour seige ended by Somali secuirty forces after they killed all five gunmen involved.
Three people were killed and 27 injured, including three members of parliament of the spokesperson for the government.
Before this, Al Shabaab attacks had been declining, but the group still controls large parts in the south and central areas of Somalia.
The group has ties to Al-Qaeda and has waged a 20-year insurgency against the country’s government, which is backed by the UN.
Just yesterday, reports emerged of Al Shabaab members being held in Mogadishu Central Prison attempting to break out and attack guards.
This caused a deadly shootout killing at least eight – three soldiers and five prisoners – according to a spokesperson for Somali army’s custodial corps.
Local news reported that terrorists facing life sentences in the prison launched the attack.