MOGADISHU, Somalia – At least five people, including children, were injured in a series of landmine explosions targeting residential homes in Galmudug village in Mogadishu’s Garasbaley district over the past two nights, local residents reported.
According to witnesses, six explosives were strategically placed outside homes fitted with CCTV cameras in the area. The Garasbaley district administration and Mogadishu security officials have yet to comment on these attacks.
The incidents occur against the backdrop of escalating tensions in Mogadishu, following the Somali government’s directive to install thousands of security cameras throughout the city. The aim is to monitor the movements of the al-Shabaab militant group and improve overall public safety. However, this initiative has sparked concerns among local business owners, who fear reprisals from the insurgents.
Several traders have disclosed receiving threats from al-Shabaab, who have vowed to dismantle the cameras and warned of retaliation against those who comply with the government’s mandate. On the other hand, officials have warned that removing the cameras could lead to legal consequences for the offenders.
In response to the surveillance expansion, al-Shabaab has ramped up its attacks on markets, businesses, and traders in Mogadishu, seemingly as a direct countermeasure to the increased monitoring. Despite the threats, a segment of the local population supports the CCTV initiative, seeing it as a vital move to bolster security in the capital.
