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2009 Beledweyne bombing

UNSOLVED2009Medina Hotel, Beledweyne, Somalia3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

On June 18, 2009, at approximately 10:30 am local time, a car bombing struck the Medina Hotel in Beledweyne, Somalia. An explosive-laden Toyota vehicle was driven toward the hotel and was spotted before it reached the entrance. At the time, Omar Hashi Aden, the National Security Minister of Somalia, was about to leave the hotel. The car drove through the hotel entrance, crashed into parked vehicles, and then detonated.

The explosion severely damaged the hotel structure and resulted in significant loss of life. In total, 57 people were killed and 307 others were injured in the attack.

Among those killed were a number of prominent figures, including ambassadors, government ministers, military colonels, and clan elders. Those killed included Omar Hashi Aden, who served as Minister of Security of Somalia; Abdikarim Farah Laqanyo, a former Somali ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union; and four colonels in the Somali Armed Forces — Mohamed Abdi Yarow, Mohamed Barre Fidow, Omar Hasan Dhudi, and Yusuf Husen.

No specific perpetrator is identified, and no one is described as having been charged or convicted.

Key facts

Victims
Yusuf Husen, Omar Hashi Aden, Abdikarim Farah Laqanyo, Mohamed Abdi Yarow, Mohamed Barre Fidow, Omar Hasan Dhudi
Date
2009
Location
Medina Hotel, Beledweyne, Somalia
Case status
unsolved

Case timeline

  1. 2009-06-18

    A car bomb detonated at the Medina Hotel in Beledweyne, Somalia, at approximately 10:30 am local time, killing 57 people and injuring 307 others.

Best coverage

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People

  • Yusuf Husen

    VICTIM

    Colonel in the Somali Armed Forces, killed in the bombing

  • Omar Hashi Aden

    VICTIM

    Minister of Security of Somalia, killed in the bombing

  • Abdikarim Farah Laqanyo

    VICTIM

    Former Somali ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union, killed in the bombing

  • Mohamed Abdi Yarow

    VICTIM

    Colonel in the Somali Armed Forces, killed in the bombing

  • Mohamed Barre Fidow

    VICTIM

    Colonel in the Somali Armed Forces, killed in the bombing

  • Omar Hasan Dhudi

    VICTIM

    Colonel in the Somali Armed Forces, killed in the bombing

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Medina Hotel, Beledweyne, Somalia

4.7333, 45.2000

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
A car bomb detonated at the Medina Hotel in Beledweyne, Somalia, on June 18, 2009, killing 57 people, including the country's Minister of Security, and injuring 307 others.
Where did the bombing happen?
Medina Hotel, Beledweyne, Somalia.
What is the current status of the case?
Status: unsolved.
More cases in Somalia

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDIC2009 Beledweyne bombingWikipedia · 2026-07-10
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — TIMETIME · 2026-07-10
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — hiiraan.comhiiraan.com · 2026-07-10

Record history

First published
JUL 11, 2026