Car Bomb Kills Somalis Watching Euro Final at a Café

Several people were killed after a car bomb exploded outside a popular café in Mogadishu, Somalia, where football fans were gathered to watch the Euro 2024 final between Spain and England. The bomb detonated on Sunday night at 22:28 local time, striking Top Coffee café, which was crowded with patrons.

Initial police reports confirmed at least five fatalities and 20 injuries. However, security sources later updated the death toll to nine. The jihadist group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Witnesses described the chaos following the explosion, Mohamed Muse, a survivor, “We heard a loud, horrifying explosion during the first half of the game that we were watching. Everyone had to figure out how to save themselves. I saw people in danger, injured people screaming for help, and others confused – it was terrifying.”

The blast not only took lives but also caused significant property damage, destroying several cars and damaging nearby buildings.

Al-Shabab, affiliated with al-Qaeda, stated that the target was a location frequented by security and government personnel at night. The café is situated close to Villa Somalia, the official presidential residence.

This bombing is part of a long history of attacks by al-Shabab in Mogadishu and other regions of Somalia over the past 17 years. Despite a recent lull in such incidents, largely due to an ongoing offensive by Somali security forces against the group, al-Shabab continues to control significant portions of the country and remains a persistent threat.