By Mogadishu, Somalia – July 2024 – At least five people were killed when militants ambushed a convoy in central Somalia and seized heavy weapons, the local government and residents reported on Tuesday. The incident comes seven months after a decades-long arms embargo was lifted.
The convoy, traveling on Monday with a security escort near the town of Abudwaq, was attacked by militants from a local clan. The attackers overpowered the security forces, according to four residents who spoke to Reuters. The seized arms included machine guns, anti-aircraft weapons, and rocket-propelled grenades, reportedly originating from neighboring Ethiopia.
“It is unfortunate that five people died from both sides yesterday over weapons,” said Ahmed Shire, a security advisor to the president of Galmudug State, where Abudwaq is located. “We understand the weapons fell into the hands of civilians.”
Rashid Abdi, an analyst with the Sahan Research think-tank, described the incident as “the single most serious incident of arms proliferation in central Somalia” and expressed concern that some of the weapons would likely be bought by Al Shabaab, an Al Qaeda affiliate.
Writing on X, Abdi stated, “It was a clear case of why lifting the arms embargo on Somalia was a big strategic mistake.”
The last restrictions under an arms embargo that had been in place, in some form, for more than 30 years were fully lifted by the U.N. Security Council in June. Somalia’s government had advocated for the move, arguing it would allow the country to better confront security threats and build up its national forces.
Somalia has been battling an insurgency by Al Shabaab for nearly two decades. African Union peacekeepers are drawing down their presence, handing over responsibility to Somali forces. However, the AU and Mogadishu government warned of a possible security vacuum if the process is not carefully managed.
In recent weeks, Al Shabaab has fought alongside government forces in a military campaign against other rebel groups. However, some militants have also turned their weapons on one another in internal conflicts.
Credit: Reuters
