Mayor of Somalia Dies Due to Suicide Bomb Attack

The mayor of Somalia Capital, Mogadishu has been confirmed dead.

Mayor Abdirahman Omar Osman died as a result of injuries sustained after the suicide bomb attack in his office on July 24.

The deadly Islamist terrorist group, Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Al-Shabaab is an al-Qaida-linked militant organization who has continued to wage a deadly insurgency against the western-backed government in Mogadishu.

We reported the breaking news involving a suicide bomb attack in the office of Mogadishu Mayor.

A few minutes after the attack, one of Omar Osman's relative who was quoted by Reuters said the mayor had been injured in the blast.

"The blast injured many local officials including my cousin," Mohamed Abdullahi said when speaking to Reuters news agency.

"The Mogadishu mayor is also injured ... A suicide bomber walked into the meeting hall and blew up himself," Abdullahi added.

The Associated Press (AP) further reported that although many deaths were recorded due to the close impact of the blast, Mayor Osman and his deputy sustained critical injuries, and were rushed to a hospital.

The government of Somalia has announced that the mayor died while receiving treatment for the injuries sustained from the blast.

His son, Mohamed Omar said, “Today the people of Mogadishu lose their mayor, but I lost my father. May Allah grant him the highest rank of paradise. We earlier reported that six people, including two district commissioners and three directors, were also killed in the blast."

Meanwhile, it is believed that the attack was targeted at the UN special envoy James Swan, who had been in the building just hours earlier.

It is unclear how the attacker managed to enter the mayor’s office, as visitors are required to pass through at least four metal detectors.

Osman, who was nicknamed Engineer Yarisow (“Young Engineer”), had tried to clean up the city and rebuild its battered infrastructure.

Ben Fender, the UK’s ambassador to Somalia, pledged to help to continue the reconstruction work that Osman had begun.

May the soul of the major and all others who lost their lives rest in peace, amen.

Header Image Credit: Al Jazeera