By Younis Ahmed, staff writer
Mogadishu – Two people have been killed in a mortar attack carried out by the extremist group Al Shabaab, targeting the Somali Presidency in Mogadishu.
The attack which took place after at least five mortar shells slammed into the presidential palace shortly after evening prayers in Mogadishu’s Warta-nabad neighborhood where Villa Somalila, the Presidential residence, is located.
According to the Somali police, two bodyguards of Somalia’s petroleum minister, Abdirasaq Omar Mohamed, were killed when a mortar struck the minister’s house in Villa Somalia.
However, Minister Abdirisaaq survived the attack, although he sustained injuries.
Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack, though the group provided no specific details about the attack targets.
This latest attack comes amidst ongoing efforts by the government to enhance security in Mogadishu, as the president issued security directives aimed to tighten control on heavy weapons within the capital city, in order to reduce the likelihood of attacks by Al-Shabaab.
However, the latest attack underscores the persistent security challenges faced by the government in ensuring the safety and stability of Mogadishu. Although such attacks were subsequently described as a desperate attempt to destabilize the city, yet subsequent investigations have established that they are orchestrated attacks by Al-Shabaab, posing a grave threat to the security situation in the capital city.
The attack serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by Al-Shabaab and the need for more measures in addressing the security challenges faced by Somalia.
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