Somalia: Terrorists attack restaurant, at least 17 people killed

(Baonghean.vn) - Reuters news agency quoted information from Somali police saying that late on January 21 (local time), extremist Islamic gunmen attacked a famous seaside restaurant in the capital Mogadishu, killing at least 17 people.

Ambulances stand by outside the scene of the attack. Photo: EPA.

Somali Islamist militant group Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack. They detonated two car bombs in front of the Beach View restaurant on Lido beach, then used machine guns to shoot at several people inside the restaurant.

Somali government troops then engaged in a gun battle with the attackers. On January 22, police officer Osman Nur said: "The gun battle ended at 3 a.m., at least 17 civilians were killed."

Al-Shabab is a Somali Islamist militant group with links to al-Qaeda. It was driven out of the capital Mogadishu in August 2011, but is still trying to overthrow the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu and regularly carries out attacks in the city.

Phuong Thao

(According to Reuters)