Monday 16 / December / 2024
A powerful explosion struck outside a cafe in the center of the Somali capital Mogadishu late on Sunday, as a group of customers had gathered to watch the final of the Euro 2024 tournament there.
There were conflicting early reports on casualty numbers but state media cited police spokesman Major Abdifatah Aden Hassan as saying that at least five people had died and at least another 20 were injured.
Investigators warned these preliminary tallies were likely to rise.
Images online appeared to show a large fire in the vicinity of the Top Coffee cafe in the aftermath.
Police cordoned off the area, which is close to the presidential palace compound known as Villa Somalia and was busy at the time of the blast. The cafe is a popular hangout for government employees.
Investigators said they believed that a car parked outside the cafe had exploded. It was not immediately clear whether a suicide bomber was inside the vehicle.
The force of the large blast also caused damage to nearby buildings.
