Security forces thereafter apprehended a number of suspects, and deployed more police and soldiers onto the city's main roads.

A presidential palace official suggested that the fatalities totaled over 25 people,[2] including the Deputy Governor for Political Affairs of the Benadir region Mohamed Adan Guleed.

[1][2] An Al-Shabaab spokesman later claimed responsibility for the attack, asserting that the militants had targeted the officials during prayer-time as retribution for "apostasy" and for deploying foreign African Union troops in Somalia.

[1][2] President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud,[5] the Somali Forum for Unity and Democracy,[6] UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,[7] UN Special Representative for Somalia Nicholas Kay,[8] OIC Secretary-General Iyad bin Amin Madani,[9] EU High Representative Federica Mogherini,[10] President of the UAE Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan,[11] Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Rob Nicholson,[12] and US State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki also issued statements condemning the attack, sent their condolences to the families of the victims, and vowed to continue their reconstructive and developmental work.

The municipal police was also placed on high alert, and additional military soldiers were stationed on the major thoroughfares.