Sharjah 24 – AFP: The death toll from a car bombing at a cafe in Somalia's capital Mogadishu that was packed with football fans watching the Euro 2024 final has risen to nine, security sources said Monday.
Witnesses described scenes of panic and chaos after the powerful blast late Sunday, with people scrambling for safety and the main entrance to the cafe destroyed by the blaze.
Mohamed Yusuf, an official from the national security agency, said nine civilians were killed and 20 others wounded in the explosion, raising the official toll of five given by police late Sunday.
The popular Top Coffee restaurant, which is located near the presidential palace in the centre of the city, was thronged with young men watching the final that Spain won 2-1 against England.
No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the state-run Somali National News Agency said Sunday it was carried out by “Al-Qaeda” linked “Al-Shabaab” terrorist group.
Images posted online showed a huge fireball and plumes of smoke billowing into the night sky as the explosion ripped through the cafe.
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