Archive · 24 Jan 2026
Somali Bomber Killed in Mid-Air Explosion
On February 2, 2016, a man named Abdulahi Abdisalam Borleh tried to blow up a plane.
He was on a flight from Mogadishu to Djibouti.
He had a bomb in his laptop.
The bomb went off when the plane was flying high, but it didn't hurt anyone else.
The bomber was thrown out of the plane and died.
The plane had to land quickly back in Mogadishu.
A group called Al-Shabaab said they did it because they were mad at some people.
Later, some people were put in jail for helping with the bomb.
A Somali suicide bomber triggered an explosion on Daallo Airlines Flight 159, killing only himself.
The blast occurred 15 minutes after takeoff at approximately 11,000 feet, creating a one-meter hole in the plane.
Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility, targeting Western officials and Turkish NATO forces.
The bomber was originally meant to board a Turkish Airlines flight, which was cancelled.
In May 2016, a Somalian military court sentenced two men to life in jail for planning the attack.
- Who
- Abdulahi Abdisalam Borleh, a Somali national, was the bomber.
- What
- A suicide bombing occurred on Daallo Airlines Flight 159.
- When
- The incident happened on February 2, 2016.
- Where
- The flight was en route from Mogadishu to Djibouti.
- Why
- Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility, targeting Western officials and Turkish NATO forces.
- Date
- February 2, 2016
- Flight
- Daallo Airlines Flight 159
- Route
- Mogadishu to Djibouti
- Altitude
- 11,000 feet (3,350 meters)
- Casualties
- Only the bomber was killed
- Responsibility Claim
- Al-Shabaab
- Sentencing
- Two men sentenced to life, others received 6 months to 4 years