March 2022 Somalia attacks

Last updated
March 2022 Somalia attacks
Part of the Somali Civil War
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Attack locations
Location Beledweyne and Aden Adde International Airport, Somalia
DateMarch 23, 2022 (2022-03-23) (EAT (UTC+03:00))
Target Amina Mohamed Abdi, Government of Somalia
Attack type
 Mass murder, Assassination, Suicide bombing, Car bomb
Weapons Car bombs, explosive belts, Automatic weapons
Deaths60+
Injured108+
Perpetrators Al-Shabaab

On 23 March 2022 in Somalia, a series of coordinated attacks by al-Shabaab jihadists in the two cities of Mogadishu and Beledweyne killed over 60 people. [1]

Contents

Background

Al-Shabaab are a Somali Islamist group whose insurgency began during the late 2000s. Their attacks have included many in the country's capital Mogadishu, including the deadliest bombing in African history, in October 2017. They have also often attacked Beledweyne, including suicide attacks in June 2009, October and November 2013 and February 2022.

On the week of the attack, elections in Somalia were scheduled to be held for the Federal Parliament of Somalia, ahead of the 2022 Somali presidential election. This bombing targeted candidates and polling places. [2]

Attacks

Aden Adde International Airport shooting

On 23 March, gunmen attacked the eastern area of the Aden Adde International Airport, killing five people, including an AMISOM soldier. Two attackers also were killed. [3] [4] Black smoke was seen rising out of the ground near the runway. [5]

Beledweyne bombings

The next attack occurred a few hours later, [6] as Somali female Member of Parliament Amina Mohamed Abdi left a polling place in Beledweyne. [7] A suicide bomber ran up to Abdi and kissed her before detonating [8] his explosive vest, [9] killing several people. [10] [11] Abdi died instantly along with several bodyguards. [7] [12]

The injured were rushed to the Beledweyne Hospital, where terrorists set off a car bomb, killing at least 30 people. [12] The blast's impact was powerful, with the explosions destroying not only the hospital, but also nearby buildings and cars. [13] [14]

Authorities estimated that at least 48 people were killed by the bombings and 108 others injured. [15]

Beledweyne restaurant attack

Al-Shabaab militants attacked a restaurant in Beledweyne, killing the retired politician Hassan Dhuhul and many others. [7]

Aftermath

Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attacks. [12] Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed both condemned the attacks. [16] Ali Abdullahi Hussein said that the attacks were the worst such incidents in Beledweyne's history. [9] The Lusa News Agency reported that former Education Minister Abdirahman Dahir Osman was among the injured in the attacks, but did not specify which one he was injured in. [17]

The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the airport attack on 24 March, expressing condolences to the families of the victims. [18] The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also denounced the attacks. [19] [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somali civil war (2009–present)</span> Present phase of the Somali Civil War, concentrated in southern Somalia

The Somali civil war (2009–present) is the ongoing phase of the Somali civil war which is concentrated in southern and central Somalia. It began in late January 2009 with the present conflict mainly between the forces of the Federal Government of Somalia assisted by African Union peacekeeping troops and al-Shabaab militants who pledged alliegence to al-Qaeda during 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">May 2010 Mogadishu bombings</span>

The May 2010 Mogadishu bombings were an attack at a mosque near the Bakaara market in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, on 1 May 2010. The bombs killed at least 39 people and injured around 70 others.

The Muna Hotel in the Somali capital of Mogadishu was attacked by al-Shabaab fighters on 24 August 2010. The hotel was known to host government officials and other politicians. More fighting in the city began on 23 August.

The 2011 Mogadishu bombing occurred on 4 October 2011, when a suicide bomber drove a truck into the gate of the Transitional Federal Government's ministerial complex in Mogadishu, Somalia. The resulting explosion killed 100 people and injured over 110 others. Al-Shabaab, an Islamist group, claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack is reported to be the largest since Al-Shabaab launched an insurgency in Somalia in early 2007. It also follows the withdrawal of Al-Shabaab's forces from the area in August after an AMISOM intervention to bring aid to the country during a season of drought.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 timeline of the Somali Civil War</span>

This is a 2014 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Indian Ocean</span> 2014–2015 Somali–AMISOM–US mission against al-Shabaab

Operation Indian Ocean was a joint military operation between the Somali military, AMISOM and the United States military against the Al-Shabaab militant group aimed at eliminating the remaining insurgent-held areas in southern Somalia. It officially began in August 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 timeline of the Somali Civil War</span>

This is a 2015 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Hotel attack</span>

On 20 February 2015, Al-Shabaab militants launched a surprise attack on the Central Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia, where various Federal Government of Somalia officials had gathered for Friday prayers at the compound's mosque. Between 11 and 25 people were killed, including the suicide bomber, local deputy mayor and two MPs. The Federal Cabinet subsequently announced the formation of a security committee to probe the circumstances surrounding the attack, as well as a ministerial committee to follow up on the situation. Security forces thereafter apprehended a number of suspects, and deployed more police and soldiers onto the city's main roads.

This article contains a timeline of events for the Somali jihadist group al-Shabaab.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 timeline of the Somali Civil War</span>

This is a 2013 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 timeline of the Somali Civil War</span>

This is a 2010 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 timeline of the Somali Civil War</span>

This is a 2017 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 timeline of the Somali Civil War</span>

This is a 2018 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amina Mohamed Abdi</span> Somalian politician (1981–2022)

Amina Mohamed Abdi was a Somali politician, she was an MP in the Federal Parliament of Somalia from 2012 till her death, as a member of the opposition Union for Peace and Development Party.

On 19 February, 2022, an al-Shabaab suicide bomber killed 14 people at a restaurant in Beledweyne, Somalia.

This is a 2022 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).

Events in the year 2022 in Somalia.

During the evening of 19 August 2022, al-Shabaab gunmen attacked the Hayat Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia. Initially, two car bombs exploded. Gunmen then stormed the hotel, shooting people and taking hostages. At least 21 people were killed, and 117 others were wounded, fifteen of whom are in critical condition. The number of gunmen involved in the attack is currently unknown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Somali Ministry of Education bombings</span> Double car bombing attack in Somalia

On 29 October 2022, 121 people were killed and over 300 were injured by a double car bombing in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud accused Sunni jihadist group al-Shabaab of carrying out the attacks, which they admitted. The bombing marks the deadliest attack in Somalia since the 14 October 2017 Mogadishu bombings at the same junction.

Events in the year 2023 in Somalia.

References

  1. ↑ "US Ambassador to Somalia Condemns Al-Shabab Attacks". www.voanews.com. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
  2. ↑ "Female opposition MP among dozens killed in Somalia bombings". the Guardian. 2022-03-24. Archived from the original on 2022-03-27. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  3. ↑ "At Least 7 Dead in Somalia After Al-Shabab Attacks". VOA. Archived from the original on 2022-03-23. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  4. ↑ Sheikh, Abdi; Hassan, Abdiqani (2022-03-23). "At least five killed in attack on Somali military base - diplomatic memo". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2022-03-23. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  5. ↑ "Somalia: Five dead in attack on military base near airport". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  6. ↑ AfricaNews (2022-03-24). "Attentats en Somalie : la députée Amina Mohamed Abdi parmi les victimes". Africanews (in French). Archived from the original on 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  7. 1 2 3 "Prominent Somali female lawmaker among 15 killed in bombing". AP NEWS. 2022-03-24. Archived from the original on 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  8. ↑ AfricaNews (2022-03-24). "Attentats en Somalie : la députée Amina Mohamed Abdi parmi les victimes". Africanews (in French). Retrieved 2022-09-03.
  9. 1 2 "Fatality Totals Rise in Somalia Attacks". VOA. 24 March 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-03-25. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  10. ↑ "Somalie: plus de 30 morts, dont une opposante, dans une double attaque dans le centre du pays". RFI (in French). 2022-03-24. Archived from the original on 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  11. ↑ "Death toll from Somalia attack that killed lawmaker rises to 15 - state TV". Reuters. 2022-03-24. Archived from the original on 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  12. 1 2 3 "More than 30 killed in twin attacks in Somalia". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  13. ↑ "More Than 30 Killed in Twin Attacks in Central Somalia". The Defense Post. 2022-03-24. Archived from the original on 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  14. ↑ "Death toll in central Somalia attacks now more than 30". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  15. ↑ "Death toll from twin Somalia bombings rises to 48: regional leader". Reuters. 2022-03-24. Archived from the original on 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  16. ↑ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Somalia twin attack: Politician killed in bomb blasts | DW | 23.03.2022". DW.COM. Archived from the original on 2022-03-26. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  17. ↑ Lusa, Agência. "Pelo menos 28 mortos num duplo atentado no centro da Somália". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-09-03.
  18. ↑ "Jordan condemns attack near Somalia's airport". en.royanews.tv. Archived from the original on 2022-03-31. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  19. ↑ "From Rep. of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs". Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  20. ↑ "From Rep. of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs". Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
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