Somalia’s army camp rocked by deadly suicide attack

At least 15 army recruits have been killed in a suicide bomb attack at a military training camp in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu. Army officer Mohamed Adan said the bomber behind Tuesday’s attack was disguised among recruits queueing up outside the General Dhegobadan Military Camp when the explosion occurred. “I have counted about 15 new recruits who have been killed in the blast,” Adan said, adding that the death toll could be higher. The injured people were taken to Mogadishu’s Madina Hospital, according to the Reuters news agency. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, the deadliest in the capital for 18 months. Hotels and security checkpoints are commonly attacked in Somalia. In December 2019, 81 people were killed by a suicide car bomber at a checkpoint in the city centre, while the last significant assault on a hotel killed 11 in August 2020. Somalia has been mired in interlocking crises for the last 30 years, with repeated bouts of civil war, clan conflict, armed rebellion, famine