Somalia: ATMIS and UN Condemn Hotel Attack in Mogadishu

March 18, 2024 Hour: 8:32 pm

On Monday, the United Nations and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) condemned the attack at a popular hotel in the capital of Mogadishu, which left at least three soldiers dead and 27 others wounded.

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In separate statements issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, the two missions vowed to sustain efforts to pacify Somalia despite increased attacks by the Al-Shabab terrorist group.

“The cowardly acts by al-Shabab militants will not deter our collective resolve to ensure a peaceful, safe, secure, and stable Somalia,” said the African Union Special Representative for Somalia Mohamed El-Amine Souef in a statement issued in Mogadishu Friday evening.

According to Souef, taking lives and causing mayhem in this holy month of Ramadan is abhorrent. “Our condolences go out to the bereaved families, and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured in the attacks. We commend the Somali Security Forces for their swift response in neutralizing the attackers and saving lives,” he added.

#PressStatement: #ATMIS strongly condemns the Thursday night attack on the SYL Hotel in #Mogadishu by Al-Shabaab militants. pic.twitter.com/LuF3BVaCws

— Souef Mohamed El-Amine (@souefmo_elamine)
March 15, 2024

Thursday’s attack at the SYL Hotel began at around 9:45 p.m., local time, after gunmen forced their vehicle laden with explosives inside the SYL Hotel and opened fire on the patrons, including some lawmakers and government officials.

The five suicide bombers were inside the vehicle, but one blew himself up, prompting sporadic gunfire inside the hotel between the attackers and security forces. The siege ended Friday morning.

The police spokesman Kassim Ahmed Roble confirmed that 18 civilians were among those wounded in the attack at the heavily fortified hotel, which is near the presidential palace and is frequented by government officials and high-profile businessmen.

The UN in Somalia said the terrorist attack on the popular hotel was a violation of the values of the holy month of Ramadan.

“It extends its condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery for the injured,” the UN said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The Al-Shabab extremist group was driven out of Mogadishu in 2011, but the terror group is still capable of conducting attacks, targeting government installations, hotels, restaurants and public places.