Al-Shabaab Targets President’s Convoy in Mogadishu

In what could raise concerns about the security of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the Al-Shabaab militants reportedly targeted his convoy in the outskirts of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, just as he headed to the frontlines to assess the gains made by the troops in pursuing the group. The explosion, sources said, was the result of a roadside Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the Ceelgaab vicinity of Mogadishu…[N]ew footage shows a bomb targeting the Somali president’s convoy at El-Gabta junction in the capital on Tuesday morning, killing at least 1 and wounding 3 others…Details of the incident remain unclear, but sources report that the attack was unsuccessful in hitting the President’s convoy. Security forces responded swiftly, securing the area. However, Hassan Sheikh has since arrived in Aden Yabal where he is set to meet troops on the frontlines, state media reports. For the last two weeks, security forces have intensified the crackdown against the Al-Shabaab militants, killing dozens in the process. The US Africa Command and the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) have been supportive of this mission. (Garowe Online)