Al Shabaab’s 35 hour siege of the Hayat Hotel in Mogadishu left more than 20 dead and over 100 injured, making it one of the deadliest and longest attacks in Somalia’s recent history. The group’s indiscriminate killing of civilians highlighted its commitment to takfiri extremist ideology, which justifies mass murder as “lawful jihad.” The attack’s brutality, including dismemberment of victims and propaganda videos, underscores the group’s growing nihilism. The choice of target, a modest hotel frequented by ordinary Somalis, shows the militants’ intent to instill fear rather than strike high profile political figures. Security lapses were evident as Al Shabaab had infiltrated the hotel days earlier posing as honey traders, smuggling explosives disguised in containers. On the night of the attack, Somalia’s response was slow and fragmented, with multiple units operating without a unified command. Intelligence warnings, including premature IED detonations days earlier, were missed, raising serious questions about preparedness. The incident has fueled criticism of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s security leadership and increased calls for purging ineffective holdovers from the Farmaajo era. With public confidence shaken, the government faces pressure to restructure its security apparatus, improve coordination, and strengthen counterterrorism operations before another tragedy strikes.