For more than ten years, the most harmful weapons wielded by terrorists in Somalia have been improvised explosive devices (IEDs), impacting countless Soldiers and civilians alike.
According to Action on Armed Violence, a UK-based organization that monitors civilian-targeted armed violence globally, over 14,000 individuals have been affected—injured or killed—by IEDs set by al-Shabaab since 2014. Astonishingly, 61% of those affected were civilians.
In the past year, IEDs have claimed or injured 1,500 lives in Somalia, predominantly among non-combatants.
This year, al-Shabaab executed bombings that devastated a Mogadishu café in July and a tea shop in central Somalia in August. On September 27, bombings took the lives of six individuals and left 10 injured in Mogadishu and the Middle Shabelle region. A car explosion rigged with explosives near the National Theatre, approximately one kilometer from the president’s office, marked the Mogadishu attack.
Buloburde, where the tea shop attack occurred, hosts a base for the African Union’s peacekeeping mission, making it a frequent target for IED assaults in recent times. These attacks have wrought havoc on civilians, often striking eateries, accommodations, and military installations where Somali National Army (SNA) Soldiers and government officials congregate.
In response to al-Shabaab’s aggression, as the SNA pushes the militia out of central and southern regions of Somalia, the group has intensified its bombing tactics. By 2023, over 820 SNA Soldiers were killed or injured, predominantly due to IEDs.
SNA Colonel Faisal Ali Noor shared with the UN that Soldiers have fallen victim to IEDs during their efforts to manage previous blasts.
“IEDs sometimes went off while we were clearing the area, leading to casualties,” Noor stated. “Due to our limited expertise, we even improvised with fire to neutralize the IEDs, causing additional deaths.”
With the SNA broadening its area of control, specialists advise that the military requires a larger pool of skilled personnel to detect and dismantle IEDs. The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has educated 46 Somali explosive ordnance disposal units recently. In September, the UN ushered in a one-month “train the trainer” initiative, empowering the SNA to train further disposal teams.
“This training is significant, seeing Somali trainers instruct Somali learners for the first time, ensuring the SNA’s enduring ability to respond to explosive threats faced by the community,” expressed Fran O’Grady, UNMAS chief in Somalia, in a UN statement.
Starting in 2020, the SNA has boosted its capability to combat IED threats with assistance from UNMAS in the form of training, guidance, and advanced gear.
Increased IED incidents coincide with a rise in homemade explosives, crafted from easily acquired materials smuggled into Somalia through its ports or from Yemen across the Red Sea.
“We are acutely aware of the havoc these devices wreak on Somali communities,” acknowledged James Swan, the U.N.’s acting envoy to Somalia, at the “train the trainer” ceremony. “We also recognize that your fellow Soldiers in the SNA are the main targets. It is of utmost importance that a remedy is found to mitigate this menace.”
As Somalia builds its ranks of skilled bomb disposal professionals, forces will persist in facing the peril posed by al-Shabaab while the SNA broadens its dominion.
“Numerous hazards confront us, such as adversary roadblocks and remote-controlled IEDs,” SNA Lt. Col. Mohamed Mohamud Awale disclosed to Africa News. “We have mourned the loss of numerous comrades.”
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
