A suicide bombing killed 25 soldiers at a military academy in Somalia's capital city of Mogadishu Monday.
Al-Shabab, an Al-Qaida affiliate in East Africa, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Deadly suicide bombing at Somali military academy in Mogadishu claims lives of 25 soldiers#SomaliaBombing #MogadishuAttack #SuicideBombing pic.twitter.com/FtLw6hEChZ
— 🦊 Fox News (live 🔴) (@yala82332257) July 25, 2023
"The officer said more than 40 others were wounded in the bombing at the Jalle Siyad military academy, said the officer. He only used his first name, Abdullahi, because he was not authorized to speak publicly. There was no immediate statement from Somali authorities," Fox News reported.
"Somali authorities launched a new offensive against al-Shabab last year to try to recapture extremist-held territory and dismantle the taxation and broader financial network that funds the fighters," it added.
Suicide bombing in #Somalia capital kills over 20 https://t.co/8IUshdK4s4
— Middle East Monitor (@MiddleEastMnt) July 24, 2023
"A senior security officer in Mogadishu, who spoke to Anadolu on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said a suicide bomber blew himself up at a military training facility in Mogadishu, killing more than 20 people, including new recruits and military personnel," Middle East Monitor reported.
"The suicide bomber blew himself up during busy hours on Monday. At the time when the blast occurred, there was a large queue of new recruits at the Jalle Siyaad military training camp," he said.
At least 20 soldiers killed in suicide bombing at #Somali army training school - https://t.co/wllAywKH01 pic.twitter.com/LiiwjKfMD9
— ADF Magazine (@ADFmagazine) July 24, 2023
"The explosion, which is believed to have been carried out by a person wearing an explosives vest, targeted soldiers who were in line in the camp, as independent news sources have told the media," Horseed Media reported.
"It is not yet clear how the person who blew himself up managed to enter one of the most secure facilities in the capital. However, this attack has raised serious questions about the security of the base and the ability of the Somali government to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks," it continued.
Somalia has been assisted by forces from the U.S. and the European Union to train its military. Reports did not mention whether any international forces were in the vicinity of the explosion.
The attack draws more attention to Al-Shabab and its parent group Al-Qaida as the explosion brings new attention to the terrorist efforts.
The investigation will certainly also seek to determine any international connections as Al-Qaida seeks to rebuild in Afghanistan following America's 2021 military departure.
