Shabab Kill 31 and Take Hostages in Somalia’s Capital
By HUSSEIN MOHAMED and KIMIKO de FREYTAS-TAMURAJUNE 14, 2017
MOGADISHU, Somalia — Militants began an assault in the capital, Mogadishu, on Wednesday evening with a car bombing
at the gates of a hotel popular with foreigners, and continued with gunfire at a nearby restaurant.
The strike, which the military said had targeted the command
and logistics portion of a Shabab camp, came two and a half months after Mr. Trump cleared the way for offensive strikes in Somalia, a chaotic nation in the Horn of Africa, without a specific self-defense rationale.
The attack occurred less than a week after militants from the Shabab extremist group killed dozens of people — both soldiers
and civilians, including children — when they stormed a military base in northeastern Somalia.
Last Sunday, the United States military carried out a drone strike in southern Somalia against the Shabab, the first since President
Trump relaxed some rules for preventing civilian casualties when the Pentagon carries out counterterrorism strikes.
"I personally counted the dead bodies of six people, including a young woman." It was not known how many people were being held captive early Thursday,
but the Shabab, who have links to Al Qaeda, are known for killing hostages, not holding them for ransom.
Although the group has suffered defeats, including the deaths of leaders
and the loss of territory, the Shabab’s ability to inflict harm remains undiminished.