Bloody Scenes at Somali Beach as Islamist Gunmen Storm Restaurant

Police captain Mohamed Hussein was quoted by AP at the scene of the attack as saying that security forces took control of the restaurant shortly before dawn on January 22.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but Al-Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab insurgents have carried out a string of similar bombings in the past.

Ambulance workers stand by near the Lido beach where gunmen exploded a auto bomb and opened fire at a restaurant in Mogadishu, Somalia on Thursday.

At least three people were killed according to various media reports and several others injured in the twin explosions.

Twenty people were killed.

The attack came a week after al-Shabab overran a Kenyan army base in Somalia, signaling the group’s resilience despite military setbacks inflicted by a U.S.-backed regional force operating in the country. Lido beach is symbol of Somalia life.

“The gunmen entered the popular Lido Sea Food Restaurant from the back door and started shooting… a few minutes later there was a heavy explosion at the front gate while people were trying to escape”, Halane said.

Security minister Abdirazak Omar Mohamed told reporters that four of the attackers were shot dead by security forces.

The Somali Prime Minister, Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, condemned the attack as “barbaric”.

Somali police say the attack was carried out on Thursday by Islamist gunmen.

I saw some people jumping from the second floor.

‘They randomly fired at people sitting near the beach before entering the restaurant, ‘ said witness Ahmed Nur, who was strolling along the shoreline when the attack happened. They shouted “Allahu akbar”, as they attacked. “Those who were fighting inside were killed by the soldiers”.