At least 13 people were killed in a suicide bombing outside the Damanyo army recruitment center in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, on Sunday. The attack targeted a long line of young recruits waiting to enter the base, witnesses told the Associated Press (AP).

Chaotic Aftermath of the Blast

“There was a loud explosion, and immediately people began running in all directions. Bodies were everywhere,” Abdulkadir Hassan Mohamed, a tuk-tuk driver who witnessed the blast, told AP. Another witness, Abdisalan Mohamed, recalled seeing “hundreds of teenagers at the gate” moments before the explosion. “Abruptly, a deafening blast occurred, and the area was covered by dense smoke. We could not see the details of casualties,” he added.

A military captain named Suleiman, who was at the scene, described the aftermath as chaotic, with dozens of abandoned shoes and the remains of the bomber scattered across the area. Despite the heavy loss of life, no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Mogadishu has been the target of numerous deadly attacks in recent years, primarily carried out by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group, which has waged a long-running insurgency against the Somali government. The attack highlights the ongoing security challenges facing the war-torn nation as it struggles to rebuild its institutions and restore stability.