Earlier today, a car bombing on the busy street of Maka al Mukarama in Mogadishu left one person dead and nine others wounded. Today’s attack is only the latest in an increase of car bombings in the Somali capital this year.
Local sources reported this morning that an explosives-laden car detonated near a cafe and hotel on Maka al Mukarama, a busy street often targeted by similar attacks. This morning’s bombing was similar to a bombing on the same street on August 27.
While no group has yet to claim responsibility for either operation, Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, is widely suspected. The jihadist group has been behind most car bombings in the city.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been at least 32 car bombings in Mogadishu. These attacks have left at least 242 people killed or wounded, according to data compiled by FDD’s Long War Journal. The operations include both remote detonations of explosive-laden vehicles, as well as suicide car bombings.
At least 10 of these bombings have been assassination attempts against Somali military, intelligence, and government personnel, as well as Somali journalists. Eight of the 32 instances occurred on the aforementioned Maka al Mukarama street. Shabaab has claimed the vast majority of these attacks.
These bombings include a targeted assassination of several high-ranking Somali military officials on April 9. At least 15 soldiers, including several officers, were killed as their convoy passed a Shabaab car bomb. In February, 30 people were killed when Shabaab targeted a busy market. A month earlier, two suicide car bombs killed over 30 people in an assault on the Somali parliament building.