MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — A suicide bomber in the Somali capital on Sunday targeted young recruits waiting to register at a military camp, killing at least 13 and wounding 21 others, witnesses said.

Mogadishu has been repeatedly targeted by the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group, which has waged an insurgency for over a decade. The group frequently attacks military and government sites as part of its effort to impose its strict interpretation of Islamic law.

“There was a loud explosion, and immediately people began running in all directions. Bodies were everywhere,” said Abdulkadir Hassan Mohamed, a tuk-tuk driver who witnessed the blast.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

A soldier identified only as Hussein, who was part of the camp’s guard unit, told The Associated Press that many young recruits were waiting patiently in line.

Suicide attacker in Somali capital kills 13 at a military recruitment center | iNFOnews.ca — Security officer patrol near the scene of a suicide bomber attack in Mogadishu, Somalia Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh)

“The explosion was devastating. I saw many casualties. The attacker disguised himself as a recruit before blowing himself up,” he said.

He said the dead included five civilian passers-by.

A similar attack in July 2023 at the Jaalle Siyaad Military Academy in Mogadishu killed 25 soldiers and wounded 70. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for that attack.