Wednesday February 7, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) - Banadir regional administration denied reports of mortar attacks at Mogadishu's Bakara market on Tuesday after several explosions killed ten people and wounded 20 others inside the market.
The deputy mayor of Mogadishu for security and politics, Mohamed Ahmed Diriye Yabooh, stated that the incident in Bakara was caused by explosions orchestrated by the al-Shabab group.
"There were no mortar attacks in this market; rather, the explosions were planned by the group to target businessmen," said Mohamed Yabooh.
The deputy mayor added that security forces are currently conducting further investigations into the official losses resulting from the attack.
Mohamed Ali, a businessman in the market who assisted in carrying the dead and wounded from some of the shops, stated, "We heard four huge explosions erupt inside four well-known electronic shops, and we were shocked. We saw many people crying inside shops."
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, although al-Shabab militants typically carry out mortar attacks targeting Somali government centers and Mogadishu airport.