March 2022 Somalia attacks

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March 2022 Somalia attacks
Part of the Somali Civil War
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Attack locations
LocationBeledweyne and Aden Adde International Airport, Somalia
DateMarch 23, 2022 (2022-03-23) (EAT (UTC+03:00))
TargetAmina Mohamed Abdi, Government of Somalia
Attack type
Mass murder, Assassination, Suicide bombing, Car bomb
WeaponsCar bombs, explosive belts, Automatic weapons
Deaths60+
Injured108+
PerpetratorsAl-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]

Background[edit]

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[edit]

Aden Adde International Airport shooting[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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

Aftermath[edit]

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[edit]

References[edit]

  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. ^ a b c "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. ^ a b "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. ^ a b c "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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