Mogadishu, SOMALIA – Al-Shabab assassins have claimed the lives of six businessmen in Mogadishu’s Yaqshid district within a span of just two days, specifically targeting them for installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on their premises. The brutal killings, which occurred in the Arafat area on Saturday and the nearby Misanka Dhuxusha area on Monday, have sent fear across the city’s business community and raised alarming questions about the government’s ability to protect its citizens from the relentless onslaught of Al-Shabab’s terror.
The assassinations in Yaqshid are the latest in a series of deadly attacks carried out by Al-Shabab against businesses and individuals in Mogadishu for complying with the government’s directive to install CCTV cameras as part of efforts to enhance security in the city. For months, the Al-Shabab campaign against CCTV installations has claimed dozens of lives, causing widespread fear and disruption, and underscoring the group’s determination to undermine the government’s authority and maintain its grip on the population through violence and intimidation.
The Yaqshid Assassinations
The assassination of the six businessmen in Yaqshid district marks a disturbing escalation of Al-Shabab’s campaign against CCTV installations in Mogadishu, as the group seeks to tighten its stranglehold on the city and its inhabitants. The targeted killings, carried out in rapid succession in two separate areas of the district, have laid bare the glaring security gaps in the city and the government’s inability to protect even the most vulnerable and exposed members of society from the reach of Al-Shabab’s terror.
The first attack occurred on Saturday in the Arafat area of Yaqshid, where two businessmen were gunned down by Al-Shabab assassins for installing CCTV cameras on their properties. The victims, whose identities have not been released by the authorities, were reportedly targeted for their decision to comply with the government’s directive to enhance security measures in the area, a move that Al-Shabab has long opposed as a threat to its ability to operate with impunity in the city.
Just two days later, on Monday, four more businessmen were assassinated in the nearby Misanka Dhuxusha area, again for installing CCTV cameras on their premises. The brazen nature of the attacks, carried out in broad daylight in a heavily populated area of the city, has raised serious questions about the effectiveness of the government’s security measures and the competence of its intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
The Yaqshid assassinations are a reminder of the deadly consequences of defying Al-Shabab’s dictates, and the impossible choice that many businesses and individuals in Mogadishu face between complying with the government’s orders and risking the wrath of the terrorist group. The fact that the victims were targeted in two separate areas of the district, just days apart, has only added to the sense of fear and panic among the city’s residents, who feel increasingly trapped between the demands of the authorities and the threats of the militants.
The Broader Context
The Yaqshid assassinations are part of a broader pattern of violence and intimidation that Al-Shabab has unleashed on Mogadishu in recent months as part of its campaign against CCTV installations and other government-mandated security measures. The group’s attacks, which have included bombings, assassinations, and other acts of violence, have claimed dozens of lives and caused widespread disruption to businesses and public life in the city.
In addition to targeting businesses and individuals for installing CCTV cameras, Al-Shabab has also carried out a series of high-profile attacks on government buildings, security installations, and civilian targets across the city. Within this month, from the mortar attack on Aden Adde International Airport to the suicide bombing of a popular restaurant in the Hamarweyne district, the group has demonstrated its ability to strike at the heart of the government’s power and expose the vulnerabilities of the city’s security architecture.
The Al-Shabab campaign against CCTV installations, in particular, has been a major source of concern for the government, as it seeks to undermine one of the key pillars of the city’s security strategy. The use of CCTV cameras has been touted as a crucial tool in the fight against terrorism and crime in Mogadishu, allowing the authorities to monitor public spaces, gather intelligence, and respond quickly to security threats.
However, the government’s efforts to promote the widespread adoption of CCTV technology have been met with fierce resistance from Al-Shabab, which sees the cameras as a direct threat to its ability to operate with impunity in the city. The group has repeatedly warned businesses and individuals against installing the cameras, threatening to target them with deadly force if they fail to comply with its demands.
The result has been a climate of fear and intimidation in Mogadishu, with many businesses and individuals caught between the government’s orders and Al-Shabab’s threats. The Yaqshid assassinations are a reminder of the deadly consequences of this impossible choice, and the urgent need for the government to take decisive action to protect its citizens and assert its authority in the face of Al-Shabab’s terror.
