Mogadishu, Somalia - At least 10 people were killed and dozens more injured on Sunday in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, after a suicide bomber targeted a group of teenage recruits lining up outside Damanyo military base, in an attack claimed by Islamist militant group al Shabaab.
Witnesses said the bomber struck as the young men queued at the base's entrance, hoping to join the army. The explosion ripped through the crowd, sending bodies flying and leaving a trail of destruction.
"I was on the other side of the road. A speeding tuk-tuk stopped, and a man jumped out and ran into the queue before blowing himself up," said Captain Suleiman, a military officer who witnessed the attack. "I saw 10 people dead, including some recruits and civilians. The toll could rise."
Graphic images from the scene showed scattered shoes, twisted metal, and the dismembered remains of the bomber. The attack caused panic in the neighbourhood, with emergency responders rushing to the scene.
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Medical officials at the military hospital confirmed receiving 30 injured individuals. "Six of them were already dead upon arrival," a nurse said.
Another witness, Abdisalan Mohamed, recounted the moment of the explosion. "We were passing by in a bus and saw hundreds of teenagers at the gate. Suddenly, there was a huge blast followed by thick smoke. We couldn't tell who had survived," he said.
Security forces swiftly cordoned off the area as forensic teams began collecting evidence.
Al Shabaab, a group linked to al Qaeda that has waged a bloody insurgency in Somalia since 2007, claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, the militants said they had killed 30 soldiers and wounded 50 others -- figures that could not be independently verified.
Government officials were not immediately available for comment.
The attack comes just a day after the assassination of Colonel Abdirahmaan Hujaale, commander of battalion 26, in Hiiraan region -- a killing also blamed on al Shabaab. The region has seen increasing concerns over militant infiltration into government and security ranks.
The Damanyo attack bears chilling similarities to a 2023 suicide bombing at the nearby Jale Siyad military base, where 25 soldiers lost their lives.
Al Shabaab has intensified its attacks in recent months as it battles Somalia's military for control over central regions, despite ongoing offensives backed by international partners.
Sunday's deadly blast is a grim reminder of the persistent threat posed by the group and the uphill battle Somalia faces in securing peace.
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