MOGADISHU, Somalia – In a troubling escalation of violence, multiple mortar shells struck residential areas near Somalia’s heavily fortified presidential palace on Saturday morning, leaving at least two civilians injured, according to initial reports.
Witnesses reported hearing a series of loud explosions shortly after sunrise, sending residents in the vicinity of Villa Somalia into panic.
The targeted neighborhoods lie within a high-security zone in the capital, raising concerns about how such an attack was able to breach the city’s defense perimeter.
Conflicting reports have emerged about the number of casualties. While some local sources confirmed two people were wounded, others claimed at least one person was killed and several more sustained injuries. Authorities have not yet released an official casualty count.
Security forces swiftly cordoned off the affected area and launched an investigation into the origin of the attack. “Our teams are on the ground collecting evidence and assessing the trajectory of the mortar rounds,” a police sources told Arlaadi Media. “We are working to determine who was behind this incident.”
So far, no armed group has claimed responsibility for the assault. However, the attack bears similarities to previous strikes carried out by the al-Qaeda-linked militant group al-Shabaab, which frequently targets government installations and security personnel.
