MOGADISHU (Reuters) – A suicide bomber blew himself up near the Somali presidential palace on Tuesday, killing at least two soldiers in a strike apparently aimed at the country’s leaders, a palace guard at the scene said.

Officials working in the palace and guards said Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was abroad at the time of the blast and Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon Saaid, whose house was near the site of the explosion, was safe.

The blast was the first this year in Mogadishu, where security has improved greatly since Al Shabaab – Islamist rebels allied to al Qaeda – were driven from the capital by African peacekeepers in late 2011.

The group – which wants to impose its strict version of Sharia or Islamic law – is fighting to topple Mohamud, whose election last year was the first such vote since warlords ousted military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

“The man blew up himself near a wall between the Ethiopian embassy and the Somali PM’s residence,” Ahmed Ali, a Somali soldier at the presidential palace told Reuters.

The two buildings are inside a sprawling compound that also houses the presidential palace.

“One guard died there and then. Another died of his wounds. They were all the guards of the PM,” said Ali. “The man was an al Shabaab defector. He had a gate pass, an identity card of the national security.”

Guards at the palace who declined to be named said the blast partially damaged a small room made of iron sheets where the prime minister’s guards are stationed, but little else was damaged. Buildings and cars within the compound were untouched.

OUSTED FROM URBAN CENTRES

The guards said the bomber was known to them, and frequently visited the palace. When he came by on Tuesday morning, the guards took the suicide bomber through a routine inspection and found he was clad in an explosive jacket.

The guards tried to prevent him from detonating his device, but it went off – killing one instantly and wounding two others.

Al Shabaab was not immediately available for comment on the attack.

The group fled to southern Somalia after quitting Mogadishu but in late September Kenyan troops forced it to withdraw from the port of Kismayu, its last major urban stronghold in the Horn of Africa nation.

That appears to have ended it as a quasi-conventional military force, though Al Shabaab remains a threat and has vowed to step up suicide bombings and hit-and-run attacks.

On January 17 the group said it had executed a captive French agent after a French commando mission to rescue him failed.

Source: Reuters

 

1 COMMENT

  1. This is what Shabaab is reduced to one one bomb for every few months what a bunch of cowards and to think they were once the protectors of Somalia.

    • You're obviously a bloody Walaweyn. Alshadaadiin were created by your warlords in order to kill and loot in the name of religion. Ina Godaney is unionist and for that reoson you wellcomed him to your country. Walaweynta hadii jin socdaa u yimaado oo ku yidhaahdo midnimo ayaan rabnaa way soo dhaweyn oo boqri.

      • Shabab began as a project in Bossasso with Hassan Dahir Cawys in 1993.

        – Top official of Jihadist movements in Somalia-Italia was Ceyrow who was assassinated via a plane strike.

        From that day forth they invested a non existence Mad-invisible Ina-Godane character who was apparently an arab-clan from Somaliland…

        Hassan Dahir and most his top officers have never again being targeted with drone attacks… F*cking brilliant strategy to survive what an ingenues invention a man that only speaks and nobody ever meets or sees his face.

        The Shabab population by majority:
        – Hawiye
        – Darood
        – Rahanweyn
        – 0.5
        Islamic militancy was a Hawiye invention and to this day it is a hawiye propagated institution that is being used only to attack non hawiye politicians.

        – Sharif was never attacked by shabab.
        – Shabab attack the vila fully aware hassan is overseas and the only target must have been Saciid-shirdoon. I guess he has been used like a pair of sock USA has recognized Hassan Mahamoud and it is time to expand his legitimacy by Repalcing saciid with an MJ from the northern parts of the Road-Map signatories.

        🙂 Repeat of the Farmaarjo episode all over again >>> Ruux ya Sharabaad fi abgaal.

        • walaahi caseem. You are a genius. what's the story behind you and this clan majeerteen? I concluded you share blood with this people.you pretend to hate this people and accuse everybody hail from this clan. but I know why you're doing this. It's way to hide your true identity . so you develop a system that's effectively and work for you. but this time you've over done it and it's becoming apparent to anyone with brain. So tell us what sub clan are you from or is it your mother. because I have been watching you and digesting your comment and also I have notice you use many other names. Tell us please who're you .

          • He is no body, but someone who likes to highlight the true problem of all Somalis. The MJ have created this mess and they are still doing it. We are all aware what happened to Caydiid and Cali mahdi. The time has come to wake up and tell all H@:wiye to stand up and be counted. MJ's will never come to Mogadishu and rule Somalia. Why are they not trying to succeed from Somali just like Somaliland. Because they are living in the most inhabitable area of the country and they are still hopping to come back to power. That is never going to happen, as we have replaced them with MR and it is working so far.

          • Ali dheere
            it's not your place to wake anybody up' if Somalia want to go anywhere the less people like your thinking that we have among us better for us and the well-being of Somali nation.So stay your line even thou I know who you're and this message wasn't for you. so once again buuxiye the question still stands and I would love to hear from you.

          • Sahra
            I honestly believe Somalia would have been a better place without all the Dh@afoorqiiq around. What do you mean by I know you? You do not know my and you do not want to know me. In fact I don’t like the girls from that part of Somalia and you do not want to know why?

          • @Ali dheere

            without the engine a car can't run and Somalia can't function unless the crucial majerteens. Majerteens were, are and will always be the leaders and the brain of Somalia.

            Note: majerteen will be the majority clan in xamar after they claim their stolen properties and the abgaal squatters will be rooted out back to afgooye.

          • Ali dheere.

            You sound like jackroo out of control. MJ have their state idiote, also IC have full respect on them. they created this goverment and they are very influential ppl for centuries. the reason Puntland not announce independent is because they have higher IQ, THEY knew it will not work and they don't want to face what somaliland region is facing today total humilliation.

          • @Sahra.

            Why you so opposes this mentally ill person? maybe he's in mental institution little room with his laptop. BEWARE. also uses different names.

        • @buxiye.

          It's well documented now al-shabab full support come from somaliland. al-shabab don't have tribal line every somali tribe is part of it. hassan Dahir he is well know informer.so, your IQ can't understand that.

  2. As I have argued before will argue again, Al Shabaab are not finished and this is a clear indication that they can strike at the heart of this so-called gov that cannot even control PM office. There are members within the security force and even inside the presidential palace who are sympathetic to these terrorists.

  3. All the lies they were wishing for Somaliland over the past few days has backfired Somalia and her so called Mugadisho government who does not even control few block of that war torn city and cannot even travel around anywhere within Mugadisho itself without African troops. Stop the hate and Allah may give you peace one day.

    • Subhanallah, who wished on North-west Somalia that? Clearly you are beyond retarded. For your information African troops are out of Mogadishu, and Mogadishu are run by Somali security forces. If you had read it proper, you would have known the guards who stopped the guy were Somalis.

      • Thats wrong, there are so far over 12,000 AU troops protecting so-called gov of Somalia and this is excluding the 500+ Nigerian police troop patrolling Mogadishu. This clearly shows how the IC has little confidence with this admin in the south.

  4. We all know who the leader of Al Shabaab is an Iss@q the cousin of Edna Adan. The reason why he is keep attacking Mogadishu is, he does not want Mogadishu to become the way it was. HE IS A COWARD just like siad barre

    • The man is a criminal ya habibaty, he is wanted in hargaisa for stealing, but you mooryans took him as a GOD and started worshiping him. Only scum worship thieves and take them as gods.

      Imagine if i started worshiping a drug dealer wanted by the British security, What does that say about me.

  5. it is sad just killing innocent people every single day.man United Nations should divide is animals!! on the call themself Muslim please you not Muslims!!

  6. The future isn't looking too good for godane and the Ethiopian stooge (SNM) who are against peace and stability in Somalia. Godane who has long caused havoc and unrest in somalia freely walks in the street of hargeisa. The Ethiopian stooge (SNM) has long given Al shabaab leader (Godane) a sanctuary in Burco to launch catastrophic terrorists attacks against the peace loving citizens of Puntland and ultimately contributed to the ongoing conflict in Somalia by funding Godane on basic of reviving a colonial White Trash village. The Ethiopian stooge (SNM) should be classified as a terrorists group.

  7. Al Shabab or Al shaydaan is a cancer and the only way to eliminate kill them all , the head of Al Shabab is from Burco. and his assistant is also from Burco , Somalia goverment need to know who funded this group most likely from. Dahabshiil.they need to shut down Dahabshiil all over Somalia.