Transcribe your podcast
[00:00:00]

Next, more than 30 people have been killed in an attack in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on Friday night. A bomb was detonated on a popular beach, which was then attacked by armed men. Al Shabbat militants say they carried out the attack. Let's speak to our correspondent in Nairobi, Daukos Wangeera. What exactly do we know about what happened here?

[00:00:22]

Just like you've mentioned, the toll was 32 people, at least have been killed. In the past hour, there has been a statement that has been released by the Prime Minister, condamning the attack carried out by Al Shabbat or the Harijaits, as they are referred to by officials as a barbarous atrocity. The President also called for an emergency meeting to just take stock of the events that have happened, and 63 people were badly injured.

[00:00:50]

Just remind us, if you can, the background to these attacks.

[00:00:56]

Also, Somalia is where the Al Shabbat militants and Islamist militant group that has been carrying out these attacks for at least 17 years, trying to carry out an insurgency to destabilize the Somali society and to bring in Islamist values. They have not just been attacking in Somalia, but also in neighboring Kenya and even in Uganda. The government has been trying to contain Al Shabbat. There's been an effort from Amisom, other African missions, to help contain the reach of Al Shabbat. In the past year, there haven't been as many attacks. So this The latest one where 32 people have been killed as at now is one of the deadliest attacks carried out this year.

[00:01:36]

Do we know much more about the specifics of how it was actually carried out and how it was allowed, or if there were any Is there any particular security failings, or is it too early to know?

[00:01:49]

The meeting that is being carried out will help give more details. However, what we do understand from the reports coming in from Somalia is that this attack happened in the wee hours the evening at 10:00 PM Friday night. This is a very popular beach, and many people were coming in. In fact, many young people. There was one suicide bomber who detonated the bomb, and then there were other five attackers who were shooting randomly at people. From also the videos being shared online, which are too graphic, you see a lot of people lying on the ground. You see a lot of blood. Early in the morning, and then we had the security operation coming in to try to contain the attackers. The police say that they were able to neutralize three gunmen, but however, the damage is really steep. When you look at the many, many young people who have been killed, this is an unbearable tragedy for Somalia.

[00:02:42]

Daukash Mangira, thank you very much for talking us.