Suicide bombers target Mogadishu beach

Feisal Omar / Reuters

Somali soldiers inspect the scene of an explosion at a restaurant on Mogadishu's beachfront Friday.

By Ian Johnston, Staff Writer, NBC News

A beach-front restaurant in Somali capital Mogadishu was hit by a twin suicide bomber attack Friday, an official and a witness said.

The attack took place near the famous Lido beach, which is often crowded with people from the war-ravaged city playing soccer, swimming and simply having fun.

?There was a big explosion from a car, then as people rushed towards the area after the blast, a suicide bomber with a vest exploded himself,? Mohammed Abdullahi, a businessman who was inside the restaurant when the attack took place, told the AFP news agency.

Abdiqadir Mohamed, a senior police officer, gave a similar account of the attack to Reuters.

Abdullahi told AFP that he saw two dead security guards and at least nine other people who were wounded.?Reuters said one person was killed along with the two bombers. It was not immediately possible to confirm how many people died.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, Reuters said, but it added that the al-Shabaab rebel group had vowed a campaign of guerrilla-style attacks against the new government, which is supported by Western powers and regional states.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Related:

Fun in Mogadishu? Yes, it happens

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/01/17147003-suicide-bombers-target-pleasure-seekers-on-mogadishu-beach?lite

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