Somalia: Shooting in Mogadishu kills seven, August 15

Event

A shooting in Hodan district, Mogadishu, on Tuesday, August 15 has claimed seven victims. At approximately 11:00 (local time) gunmen in a white Toyota Spacia reportedly opened fire on another vehicle, before escaping from the scene. Police are reportedly hunting for the vehicle and attackers.

In a separate incident, on Monday, August 14 an improvised explosive device detonated either in or beneath a taxi travelling southwest on the Airport Road towards Mogadishu International Airport (MIA), shortly after passing the Jazeera Hotel. Local sources have reported that the driver of the vehicle was killed in the explosion. There is speculation that the device was either placed under the vehicle or may have been within a package which the driver had been requested to transport.

Context

Hodan district police have reported that the target of the shooting was a senior executive at Dahabshiil Bank, one of the largest banks in Somalia. There are seven victims of the shooting who are believed to be members of the executive’s family and their driver. Three children died and the remaining four victims were wounded. A vehicle matching the description of the Spacia was involved in a drive-by shooting last week, which targeted members of the security forces. While the attackers are likely to be members of Al-Shabaab, the motive for the latest shooting is currently unknown. However, police believe that the executive may have been under threat as he had picked up passports for his family prior to the shooting.

Mogadishu frequently experiences attacks by Al-Shabaab, which continues to control large zones in the south and center of the country. The group often targets government officials and military infrastructure in a bid to topple the Western- and UN-backed government and impose its own strict interpretation of Islam in Somalia.

Advice

Individuals in Mogadishu are advised to avoid the area of the attack and to monitor the situation. Due to extremely poor security conditions, Western governments generally advise their citizens against all travel to Somalia; professional security advice and support should be sought prior to travel.