Somalia: President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud escapes assassination attempt by Al-Shabaab
The Somali government has confirmed that Tuesday’s explosion in Mogadishu was an assassination attempt against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, attributed to the Al-Shabaab terrorist group.
Somalia’s new President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud attends his inauguration calemony as the 10th President with the presence of three heads of state, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti, in Mogadishu, Somalia, on June 9, 2022. (Photo by Hassan Ali ELMI / AFP)
According to the Ministry of Information, the presidential convoy was targeted at around 10:32 am (07:32 GMT) in the Xamar-Jajab district of Mogadishu. The president was on his way to the capital’s international airport to join troops deployed on the front line in Hirshabelle state. “The attack failed, and the president arrived safely at his destination as planned,” the ministry said.
It added that “this cowardly act, resulting in the death and injury of innocent civilians, testifies to the group’s growing desperation as they suffer continued defeats at the hands of the Somali National Army.”
Security forces have launched an investigation into the attack, which took place near a highly secure area of the capital. “With the unity of our people and the support of our international partners, we are ensuring lasting peace and stability for Somalia,” the ministry said.
Hussein Sheikh Ali, the president’s national security advisor, had earlier given assurances that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was safe and in the frontline towns. The al-Qaeda terrorist group Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had targeted the presidential convoy on its way to the airport.