Somalia: Suicide Bomber Kills At Least 10 At Army Recruitment Drive in Somalia

At least 10 people were killed today in Mogadishu. A suicide bomber targeted young recruits at the Damanyo military base. The attack occurred as teenagers lined up to register.

Witness Abdisalan Mohamed saw "hundreds of teenagers" at the gate. He described a sudden, deafening blast followed by dense smoke. He could not see the details of the casualties.

Military captain Suleiman witnessed the attack unfold. He was across the road when a tuk-tuk stopped. A man got out, ran into the queue, and detonated explosives. Suleiman reported seeing 10 dead, including recruits and passers-by.

Dozens of abandoned shoes and parts of the bomber were left at the scene. Medical staff reported receiving 30 wounded individuals from the blast. Six of those injured died immediately.

An official told Anadolu news agency that at least 11 people had died. The government has cordoned off the area for investigation. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for this attack.

This incident resembles a similar one in 2023 when a suicide bomber killed 25 soldiers nearby. Sunday's attack follows Saturday's assassination of Colonel Abdirahmaan Hujaale in Hiiran region. Reports indicate al-Shabab is infiltrating government and security forces.

Al-Shabab has been fighting against the Somali government for nearly two decades. They frequently target government officials and military personnel in their attacks.