At least nine civilians were killed and several others injured on Friday when a roadside explosion ripped through a minibus traveling from Mogadishu to the town of Qoryooley in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region. Security officials confirmed the attack, with fingers immediately pointing towards the Al-Qaeda-affiliated terror group Al-Shabaab.
“The minibus was struck near the village of Eelwaregow on the outskirts of Qoryooley,” stated Ahmed Hussein, a security officer in Lower Shabelle, who spoke to Anadolu Agency shortly after the blast. “The exact number of injured is still being determined, but the scene is one of devastation.”
Qoryooley, a strategic agricultural hub located roughly 120 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu, sits within a region increasingly targeted by Al-Shabaab. While no group has officially claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack, Al-Shabaab’s recent spate of bombings across Somalia has heightened suspicions towards the notorious terror organization.
Somalia has grappled with insecurity for over a decade, with Al-Shabaab and the Daesh/ISIS terror groups posing potent threats. Al-Shabaab, in particular, has waged a relentless insurgency against the Somali government and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) since 2007.
The attack comes months after Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared an “all-out war” on Al-Shabaab following his re-election last year. Analysts suggest the recent surge in violence could be a desperate attempt by the terror group to retain control as pressure mounts from Somali forces and their international allies.
Friday’s tragedy underscores the fragile security situation in Somalia, casting a dark shadow over the hopes for lasting peace and stability in the Horn of African nation. As investigations into the attack continue, one thing remains clear: the fight against terrorism in Somalia remains a long and arduous journey.
