Al Shabaab militants targeted Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in a bomb attack on his motorcade in Mogadishu. The president was unharmed. This attack signifies the first direct assault on him since 2014. Eyewitness reports detail casualties, and Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the incident, asserting it was aimed at the president’s convoy.
In a recent event, Al Shabaab militants executed a bomb attack targeting the motorcade of Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud while he was traversing through Mogadishu. The militant group has claimed responsibility for this attack. Remarkably, President Mohamud emerged unharmed, as confirmed by senior government and military officials, with his adviser Zakariye Hussein stating that he was “good and well on his way to the front lines.”
Eyewitness accounts from soldiers and residents indicated that the convoy was struck during the attack. A Reuters journalist reported the unfortunate outcome of the attack, noting the presence of four deceased individuals near the presidential palace. Al Shabaab claimed responsibility through a statement on their Telegram channel, indicating, “Our fighters targeted a convoy of vehicles carrying Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as they were leaving the presidential palace and heading to the airport.”
While Al Shabaab frequently targets Somalia’s governmental structures as part of their ongoing campaign to topple the administration, this marks the first direct assault on President Mohamud since 2014, when a hotel he was attending was bombed during his first term in office. Following the attack, state media released footage of the President in the Adan Yabal district of the Middle Shabelle region, where government forces are engaged in combat against Al Shabaab’s offensive, which has persisted for three weeks.
The recent bomb attack on Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud highlights the persistent threat posed by Al Shabaab as they continue to conduct attacks aimed at undermining the government. Despite the attack, President Mohamud was unharmed and actively involved in ongoing military efforts against the faction. This incident marks a significant moment in the continuing conflict, being the first direct assault on the president in nearly a decade.
Original Source: en.royanews.tv
