...... the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord..., in retaliation spree following activation of operations against the group across the Horn of Africa nation.
Three people including a father and two children were killed in the deadly attack, witnesses said, with the attack leaving several other people critically injured. Those injured have since been rushed to various hospitals in Mogadishu where they are undergoing treatment.
The attack, sources said, targeted Waberi and Warta Nabadda Districts, with the attackers using a mortar to unleash. It was not immediately clear who were the targets but the Death Eaters are fond of targeting government buildings, airport and Halane, the AU base.
Although the group is yet to take responsibility, it has carried similar attacks in the past particularly around Mogadishu where they are determined to disrupt operations. The al-Shabaab group is fighting to topple the fragile UN-backed federal government of Somalia for the last 15 years.
In recent weeks, the group has suffered massive losses in central and southern Somalia following activation of the first phase of operations against them, and the government has now diverted attention towards initiating the second round of operations against the Death Eaters in the country.
The second phase, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had hinted, will mainly focus on Jubaland and Southwest states in Somalia. Already, government soldiers, the African Union
...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] troops, US Africa Command and local militia have been prepared for this phase.
Contingents from the Æthiopia and Kenya have termed the impending operation as "final assault" against the al-Shabaab, forcing a number of imported muscle to flee from the country. Kenya on her part has established several Forward Operating Bases along the border to block movement of al-Shabaab.
The group has insisted in recent weeks that the operations have not gained their objectives, arguing that the government of Somalia has "lost" the plot, a claim which has been often disputed by the administration of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. ATMIS soldiers have also kick-started drawdown.
| Shabelle Media’s take: |
A Quranic teacher and his Daughter died in Waberi District while 3 others were injured after a mortar struck a residential zone, according to the eyewitnesses.
Four other mortar shells landed in Wardhigley district, specially around the heavily fortified Presidential palace. At least three people are reportedly killed in the bombardment.
The Federal Government’s security agencies have not yet given details about the mortar that hit Mogadishu, and they arrested any suspects over the incident.
Father, daughter killed in separate twin mortar shell attacks in Mogadishu https://t.co/t9L7fwLCJn
— Goobjoog News (@GoobjoogNews) July 4, 2023