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Car bomb explodes at Somalia restaurant Somali's Lido beach hit by car bombs and gunmen in Mogadishu
(35 minutes later)
A car bomb has exploded outside a seafront restaurant in the Somali capital Mogadishu, police say. Popular beachfront restaurants have been hit by car bombs and gunmen in the Somali capital Mogadishu, reports say.
Witnesses told the BBC's Ibrahim Aden that the explosives-laden car rammed a restaurant at the popular Lido Beach. Five gunmen then opened fire. The first car bomb went off in the early evening, followed soon after by as many as five gunmen approaching from the beach. A second car bomb went off half an hour later, BBC Somali reports.
It is not clear if there have been casualties. There is no information on casualties.
No group has yet said it carried out the attack, but suspicion will fall on al-Shabab which has carried out similar bombings in the past. No group has said it carried out the attack, but suspicion will fall on al-Shabab which has carried out similar bombings in the past.
Lido Beach, on the northern edge of Mogadishu, attracts thousands of mostly young Somalis looking to relax and enjoy the beach and the surf.Lido Beach, on the northern edge of Mogadishu, attracts thousands of mostly young Somalis looking to relax and enjoy the beach and the surf.
Several restaurants, which people tend to sit out in front of, have opened up along the beach front in recent years. Several restaurants have opened up along the beach front in recent years, and people would have been sitting out in front of them when the first attack happened at around 19:30 local time (16:30 GMT).
The vehicle rammed the entrance to one of the restaurants at about 19:30 local time (16:30 GMT). Up to five gunmen then approached from a different direction, shooting at those relaxing on the beach. The Beach View and Lido Sea Food restaurants were hit, Abdirahman Koronto from the BBC's Somali service reports.
Our reporter says a police operation there is continuing. Fighting is reported to be continuing. The police said a security operation is under way and more details will be given later.