Mogadishu, 3 August 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Islamists have attacked a hotel and the popular Lido Beach in the Somali capital Mogadishu, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 people, including the five terrorists, and injuring more than 30, a police spokesman said.

It is likely that the casualty toll will rise, as security forces fought until the early hours of the morning.

The Islamist terrorist group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.

"I was wounded in the arm by an artillery shell," said Shamso Abdi, who had spent the evening at the Lido Beach Hotel with friends. One of her friends had suffered head injuries and was in critical condition, she said. Panic broke out in the hotel, she told dpa. "Everyone ran for their lives."

A suicide bomber blew himself up at the hotel entrance on Friday evening. The other attackers tried to storm the hotel and also fired on people on the beach, where many residents were walking or sitting.

Horrifying images spread on social media: People fleeing the beach in panic, others lying bleeding and screaming in the sand, pictures and videos from eyewitnesses showed. Shots can be heard in the background. Rescue teams were unable to reach the injured as the shooting continued.

In addition to gunfire, explosions could also be heard. A beach hotel was also the target of the attack.

Lido Beach is a favourite weekend destination for Mogadishu residents. According to police reports, the shooting was preceded by an explosion from a suicide bomber.

Hospitals appealed for blood donations.

The Islamist terrorist militia al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack on its radio station. The Islamists control areas in parts of Somalia, but have been pushed back from the capital in recent years.

Nevertheless, attacks on government institutions and on hotels or restaurants in Mogadishu, where the terrorists condemn what they see as an un-Islamic Western lifestyle, are still occurring.

In July, 11 people died in a terrorist attack on a restaurant during the final of the European Football Championship.

Photo: Screenshot