Mortar Assault on Mogadishu’s Halane Base Camp Claims Several Lives, Including Those of UN Personnel
Strategically positioned close to the Mogadishu airport within the confines of Somalia’s guarded “green zone,” Halane Base Camp provides shelter for UN facilities, the African Union’s stronghold, and foreign embassies.
In the wee hours, when dawn barely peeked, a string of mortars blasted UN offices and living quarters where countless expatriate staff and NGO operatives resided, as disclosed by insiders familiar with the security setup.
A devastating toll included no less than three UN personnel, along with numerous Somali staff who were either fatally struck or sustained injuries.
Onlookers recounted that approximately five mortar shells thrusted chaos upon the lodging area, rudely awakening some foreign workers from their sleep.
Visual evidence captured images of blood-speckled sleeping quarters and demolished walls, an unsettling testament to the destruction as security teams evaluated the aftermath.
#Mogadishu: On a somber Sunday, lives were taken, including United Nations staffers, by mortar shelling at the fortified Halane Base Camp in Somalia’s heartland.
Situated near Mogadishu airport in the “green zone,” Halane Base Camp shelters the UN… pic.twitter.com/MRQqVNZBtG
— Kaab TV (@KaabTV) November 3, 2024
The United Nations has kept mum on the tragic events surrounding this assault.
The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, stationed with its central operations in Halane, has unequivocally denounced the assault.
“This vile act,” proclaimed Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, esteemed envoy of the African Union Commission and ATMIS chief, “will not dissuade us, nor the Somali security contingent, from our enduring quest for peace and stability. Our vow to obliterate terrorism persists, fostering hope for a serene and flourishing Somalia.”
The mission extended its heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved and offered speedy recovery prayers to those injured.
ATMIS officials confirmed the prompt site inspection by its key leaders post-assault.
The militant group Al-Shabaab has taken credit for this attack. Their recent record in Mogadishu is riddled with mortar assaults, causing indiscriminate havoc against both locals and security forces.
This attack follows close on the heels of CIA Director William J. Burns’ confidential rendezvous with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and National Intelligence Director Abdullahi Sanbalolshe at Mogadishu’s airport compound.
Lately, Mogadishu bears the brunt of mounting violence as militant factions grab more weaponry.
Widespread corruption among Somali security ranks has aggravated an illicit arms boom in the underground market, feeding instability in the capital’s streets.
In a chilling twist, Al-Shabaab has upped its campaign of assassinations, singling out entrepreneurs who dare to install security cameras on their properties as crime deterrents.
Reports assert that since the UN Security Council dialed back the partial arms ban last December, smuggled arms have seen their market price plummet.
