Yumna Moosa

Mogadishu, Somalia – On Sunday, Somalian authorities ended a deadly attack which claimed the lives of at least 21 people and wounded dozens more. Al-Shabaab has since taken responsibility for the incident. Humanitarian worker Ilyas Mohamed joined Radio Islam this week to discuss the recent event.

He explains that Al-Shabaab had claimed, “the target was related to political motives, targeting politicians and those linked to the government.” The Somalian government has since not announced the loss of its members; however, many civilians and business people were identified.

Earlier in the year, President Hassan Sheik Mahmoud had taken office; however, the fight between the government and the terrorist group has been ongoing. Ilyas Mohamed says, “they [Al-Shabaab] have been carrying out explosions and clashes with government troupes in the capital and the remote areas, but this incident (at Hayat hotel) is shocking for the government and the Somalian people as it is the first huge attack that was carried out within a government-controlled area”.

The humanitarian worker ended by saying there is growing oppression from Al-Shabaab while the government continues to grow weaker due to elections and political instability. The attack on Hayat Hotel has dramatically affected the people of Somalia while also showcasing the recent strength of Al-Shabaab.

Listen to the full interview on the Radio Islam SoundCloud