Somali security forces fought throughout the night to end a bloody siege by al-Shabab militants at a restaurant in Mogadishu.
The siege began after a car bomb was detonated at the restaurant’s gate. The explosion claimed the lives of 19 people and injured more than 40 on Wednesday night. Somali military forces engaged the militants who had taken cover in the Pizza House restaurant, taking more than hostages in the restaurant.
The military forces surrounded the militants and used vehicle-mounted guns to kill all five attackers. The forces secured the building in the early hours of Thursday. Many survivors recounted their harrowing experiences of survival as they recounted how the militants executed people they found. The death toll has risen to 31.
Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the bombing and the subsequent siege. The terror organization has carried out several other suicide bombings in its bid to topple the Somali government.