On Saturday, 13 February, a car bomb exploded in the Somali capital. According to a local police statement, the vehicle filled with explosives was directed towards the Somali parliament and was intercepted by the security forces, who opened fire in an attempt to stop it, causing it to explode. The police intervention allowed many civilians to escape, thus limiting the number of casualties, said security official Abdirahman Mohamed.
The incident took place in the city of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, more precisely at a checkpoint near the Saydka intersection. To date, there has been no claim of responsibility from armed groups in the area, but Mogadishu is still the target of frequent attacks by al-Shabaab. The uncertainty surrounding the presidential elections in Somalia, currently postponed to a date yet to be determined, has provided an important opportunity for the armed group al-Shabaab to intensify its efforts to remove the President in office.
The United Nations (UN) has observed the recent developments in Somalia with concern. UN Secretary General António Guterres, together with African Union (AU) President Moussa Faki Mahamat, urged the Somali federal government and regional states to resume talks, with the aim of overcoming their differences in order to ensure greater stability in the country and to strengthen efforts for long-term peace.
To know more, please read:
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/02/1084892
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/02/13/africa/somalia-blast-presidential-palace-intl-hnk/index.html
Author: Francesca Mencuccini; Editor: Carla Leonetti
