February 2022 Beledweyne bombing

February 2022 Beledweyne bombing
LocationBeledweyne, Somalia
Date19 February 2022
Targetcivilians
Attack type
suicide bombing
Deaths15 (including the perpetrator)
Injured12+

On 19 February, 2022, an al-Shabaab suicide bomber killed 14 people at a restaurant in Beledweyne, Somalia.[1][2]

Background

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The Islamist militant group al-Shabaab – the Somali branch of al-Qaeda – began their insurgency during the 2006–2009 phase of the Somali Civil War. They took part in battles in Beledweyne, Hiran, Hirshabelle State in 2008, 2010 and 2011. In 2009, they carried out a suicide car bombing at a hotel there, killing 57 people. In 2013, they carried out suicide attacks there at a restaurant and a police station.

Bombing

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During the morning of 19 February, 2022, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb in a restaurant in Beledweyene.[1][2] It killed 14 people – including a candidate in the same month's election – and injured at least another 12.[1][2] On the same day, al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.[1][2]

Aftermath

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On 23 March 2022, two more suicide bombings killed over 30 people. The first one killed Amina Mohamed Abdi and many of her bodyguards, while the second was a car bombing against a hospital in Beledweyne.[3][4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "At least 13 people killed by suicide blast in central Somalia". Reuters. 2022-02-19. Archived from the original on 2023-08-23. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  2. ^ a b c d Mogadishu, Agence France-Presse in (2022-02-19). "Suicide bombing kills 14 in Somali restaurant". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 2023-10-02. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  3. ^ "Death toll from Somalia attack that killed lawmaker rises to 15 – state TV". Reuters. 2022-03-24. Archived from the original on 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  4. ^ "More than 30 killed in twin attacks in Somalia". news.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-23. Retrieved 2022-03-24.