At least 27 deaths in Somalia: Children accidentally detonate leftover shells while playing, Goriole | Hotel | Bombs
According to the Somali National News Agency, a group of children accidentally detonated a leftover mortar shell while playing football in the southern town of Goriole on the 9th, resulting in at least 27 deaths and 53 injuries, including multiple children.
The incident occurred in the jurisdiction of Lower Shabelle Oblast, approximately 120 kilometers south of the capital Mogadishu. According to reports from the governor and local officials, a group of children discovered a intact mortar shell on the football field that day. They accidentally detonated it while playing with it, causing a tragedy.
According to Governor Ibrahim Aden, the shell should have been left behind by the Somali extremist group "Al Shabaab" in the area. It was originally buried in the soil but was only discovered by the children after recent rainfall re exposed it. Goriole official Abdi Ahmed told the media that 22 children unfortunately died. He called on the Somali government and international aid agencies to intensify the clearance of remaining landmines and shells to prevent further tragedy.
The Youth Party was founded in 2004 and considers itself a branch of the terrorist organization Al Qaeda in East Africa. It continues to carry out terrorist attacks against the government, security forces, and civilians in Somalia and its neighboring countries. Since last year, under the suppression of the Somali Federal Government and international and regional peacekeeping forces, the organization's forces have been forced to withdraw from major towns in Somalia, but it is still active in many rural areas. At the end of last month, an African Union mission base in Somalia, approximately 30 kilometers from Goriole, was attacked by the Al Shabaab, resulting in the death of 54 Ugandan peacekeeping personnel.
On the 9th, armed members of the "Youth Party" admitted to launching an attack on a high-end seaside hotel in Mogadishu that day. Somali police and security officials said that two attackers detonated explosives at the entrance of the Pearl Beach Hotel. Subsequently, a group of armed personnel besieged the hotel restaurant and other facilities, and took guests hostage. The security forces launched a siege to rescue trapped hotel personnel, and the operation lasted until the late night of the 9th.
The attacked hotel is located in the popular tourist attraction of Lido Beach and often hosts government officials. The final number of casualties is still unclear, and the police say at least 7 people have died, including hotel guests and security guards.