Car Bomb Kills Five, Injures 20 outside Restaurant in Somalia's Capital

FILE PHOTO: A Somali security officer holds position on their open truck near Syl Hotel, the scene of an al Qaeda-linked al Shabab group's attack in Mogadishu, Somalia March 15, 2024. REUTERS/Feisal Omar/File Photo

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