14 October 2017 Mogadishu bombings

14 October 2017 Mogadishu bombings
Part of Somali Civil War
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Safari Hotel
Safari Hotel
Safari Hotel, Mogadishu, Somalia
LocationMogadishu, Somalia
Coordinates2°1′57″N 45°18′16″E / 2.03250°N 45.30444°E / 2.03250; 45.30444
Date14 October 2017 (UTC+03:00)
Attack type
Truck bombing
Deaths587[1]
Injured316[1]
  • 500 missing
PerpetratorsUnknown, Al-Shabaab suspected[2]

On 14 October 2017, two truck bombings took place in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, killing at least 587 people and injuring 316 others.[1] Almost all of the casualties were caused by one of the trucks which detonated when the driver, while attempting to escape from security officials, crashed through a barrier and exploded in the Hodan District, destroying a hotel. The intended target of the attack is believed to have been a secure compound housing international agencies and troops. The second blast happened close by, killing two people. A third explosives-laden truck was captured by police.[citation needed]

Though no organisation claimed responsibility, officials stated that a key member of the cell that carried it out had informed them that Islamist group al-Shabaab was responsible.[3]

The attack is the deadliest in Somalia's history, surpassing the 2011 Mogadishu bombing that killed 100 people. It is the second deadliest terrorist attack in African history, and the continent's deadliest bombing.[4][5] In response to the bombings, Somali president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed declared three days of mourning.[6]

  1. ^ a b c "Committee: 1000 dead in Oct 14 terror attack". Hiiraan Online. 5 March 2018. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  2. ^ Guled, Abdi (29 December 2019). "Somalia bombing kills dozens; airstrikes target militants". apnews.com. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference graun17oct was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference veconomist was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Death toll from Mogadishu truck bombing rises to 512". BNO News. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  6. ^ "Somalia Declares Three Days of Mourning for Mogadishu Attack". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2017.