Monday August 5, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) — Hundreds of Mogadishu residents protested on Sunday following a deadly al-Shabab attack on a popular beachside hotel in the Somali capital that killed 40 people and wounded 140 others on Friday night.
Security forces cordoned off the streets leading to Liido Beach, where the demonstration took place. Government officials, including ministers, joined the protesters, who carried Somali flags and posters with anti-al-Shabab slogans, chanting along the beachfront where the attack occurred.
Ilyas Muhudin, a youth who aided victims of the attack, called for solidarity among young people and support for the government. "If we support each other today, tomorrow we will overcome our current problems. Al-Shabab cannot block our path; we will work for the country's development," he said.
Abdirahman Rage, a rescuer during the incident, recounted the chaotic scene as militants opened fire. "As fire flew around me, I decided to do what I could for my people. I took one of the wounded men, and luckily, nothing happened to me," he said. "I am sure that we will win against al-Shabab. If they had many opportunities to kill us, now I am sure that their end is near."
The chairperson of the Banadir Youth Association, Abdikafi Mohamud Makaran, called on Somali youth to defend the country from al-Shabab. "Today we protest against al-Shabab and pray for the victims. Let the young people rid of those causing harm because, during attacks, it is the young who are killed or injured," Makaran said.
Somali Minister of Youth and Sports Mohamed Ibrahim Barre urged youth to rise against the brutal actions of al-Shabab. Deputy Mayor of Mogadishu for Security and Politics Mohamed Ahmed Diriye Yabooh emphasized that the gathering sent a strong message to the militant group.
"The people gathered here today, mostly young people, are sending a message to al-Shabab that this country and its people belong to them. The group did not attack the leaders or the army but the people," Yabooh said.
The attack on the Lido Beach View Hotel began at 10 p.m. local time on Friday when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at the entrance. Five attackers then stormed the area, targeting people who were dining, swimming, or walking.
According to Police spokesperson Abdifitah Aden Hassan, security forces killed all the attackers and captured one who was driving a car laden with explosives. One soldier was killed, and another was injured during the exchange of fire.
Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre announced on Sunday that several army officers were arrested in response to the attack. He stated that strict measures were being taken to hold the officers on duty around Liido Beach accountable but did not provide details about the number of officers arrested or their identities.
Barre described the attack as a "barbaric atrocity" that contradicts Somali values and called for unified support for the victims and ongoing emergency operations.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Barre convened an emergency security meeting on Saturday to address the situation and discuss measures to enhance the capital's security. President Mohamud emphasized the government's commitment to eradicating al-Shabab, urging public cooperation with security agencies.
In March, the government arrested 16 people in connection with a March 14 attack on the upscale SYL Hotel near the presidential palace in Mogadishu.