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Jazeera Palace Hotel bombing

A suicide car bombing struck the Jazeera Palace Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia on July 26, 2015, killing at least 15 people, including a Chinese security officer guarding the Chinese Embassy. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility.

SOLVED2015

Jazeera Palace Hotel, Mogadishu, Somalia

3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Jazeera Palm Hotel
Jazeera Palm Hotel — Credit: Ilyas Ahmed for AMISOM Photo · CC0

On July 26, 2015, the Jazeera Palace Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia was struck by a suicide bomber driving a vehicle packed with explosives. The hotel was heavily guarded and was regarded as a secure location favored by diplomats and high-ranking government officials, which made it a symbolically significant target.

At least 15 people were killed in the attack. Among the dead was Zhang Nan, a Staff Sergeant with the Chinese People's Armed Police, who was on guard duty at the Chinese Embassy at the time of the bombing.

Al-Shabab, the militant group active in Somalia, claimed responsibility for the attack.

This attack followed a related incident on July 10, 2015, when Shabab militants attacked two other hotels—Hotel Weheliye and Hotel Siyad—along with a stadium housing peacekeepers, using car bombs in that earlier assault.

Key facts

Victims
Zhang Nan
Date
2015
Location
Jazeera Palace Hotel, Mogadishu, Somalia
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2015-07-10

    Al-Shabab militants attacked two hotels (Hotel Weheliye and Hotel Siyad) and a stadium housing peacekeepers, using car bombs.

  2. 2015-07-26

    A suicide bomber drove a vehicle packed with explosives into the Jazeera Palace Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia, killing at least 15 people, including Chinese People's Armed Police Staff Sergeant Zhang Nan.

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People

  • Zhang Nan

    VICTIM

    Chinese People's Armed Police Staff Sergeant on guard duty at the Chinese Embassy, killed in the bombing.

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

Archival records

  • Jazeera Palm Hotel

    archival location

    Jazeera Palm Hotel

    Credit: Ilyas Ahmed for AMISOM Photo · CC0 · Source

Places

Jazeera Palace Hotel, Mogadishu, Somalia

2.0469, 45.3182

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
A suicide car bombing struck the Jazeera Palace Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia on July 26, 2015, killing at least 15 people, including a Chinese security officer guarding the Chinese Embassy. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility.
Where did the bombing happen?
Jazeera Palace Hotel, Mogadishu, Somalia.
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in Somalia

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICJazeera Palace Hotel bombingWikipedia · 2026-07-10
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — CNNCNN · 2026-07-10
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — The New York TimesThe New York Times · 2026-07-10

Record history

First published
JUL 11, 2026

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