Somalian Government Confirms Suicide Attack at Mogadishu Recruitment Camp

18/05/20250

MOGADISHU, May 18 – A suicide bomber targeted a military recruitment centre in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, on Saturday, the government said, as unconfirmed reports indicated significant casualties among army hopefuls.

The blast occurred around 9:20 am outside the Damaanyo military camp, where large crowds of young men had gathered to enlist in the Somali National Army. The Ministry of Information confirmed the attack in an official statement but did not provide a casualty figure.

Unverified reports suggest that more than 11 people may have been killed, with some sources placing the death toll as high as 20. Dozens more were reportedly injured, though this could not be independently confirmed.

According to the government, the attacker was intercepted by security forces before reaching his intended target within the facility.

“The assailant failed to reach his objective of inflicting mass civilian casualties,” the ministry said, adding that security agencies are still assessing the full impact of the explosion. Authorities urged the public to await official information from relevant government institutions.

No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, which comes amid persistent security challenges in the Horn of Africa nation, where al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab militants regularly launch attacks on government and military targets.