The police spokesperson, Sadik Aden Ali, revealed during a press conference on Saturday that the driver of the Toyota Land Cruiser had been apprehended, and investigations into the incident are currently underway.
According to Ali, the intercepted car had two different license plates attached, indicating a nefarious intent. It was discovered that the extremist group, al-Shabab, had planned to carry out an attack targeting innocent civilians. Fortunately, the swift response and decisive action by the Darussalam authorities and security forces thwarted their malicious plans.
This car bomb seizure comes just hours after a harrowing incident in Las-Ga’amey, a small village in the Mudug region, where President Ahmed QorQor of Somalia’s Galmudug regional state narrowly escaped a suicide bombing attempt. Tragically, two federal lawmakers sustained injuries in the attack.
Lawmaker Abdisalam Haji Dhabancad, one of the injured officials, recounted the terrifying incident, stating that he and Senator Abdi Hassan Qaybdid suffered minor injuries when pieces of the wall collapsed on them after the blast.
In response to escalating security concerns, security forces have been on high alert in the capital. President Hassan Sheikh Mahamud recently declared a “total war” against al-Shabab, emphasizing the government’s commitment to eradicating the militant group. As part of this intensified effort, massive anti-al-Shabab operations are currently underway in various central regions of the country.