The attempted assassination of

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somali language, Somali: ''Xasan Sheekh Maxamuud''; ; born 29 November 1955) is a Somali politician serving as the president of Somalia since 15 May 2022. He previously held the office from 2012 to 2017. Hassan was previo ...

occurred on March 18, 2025, when al-Shabaab militants targeted the Somali president's convoy with a roadside bomb in Mogadishu,

Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...

. The attack took place near the

Villa Somalia Villa Somalia (, ) in Mogadishu, is the palace and principal workplace of the president of Somalia. The current occupant is president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS). History The edifice was built in the Art De ...

presidential palace as President Mohamud was en route to

Aden Adde International Airport Aden Adde International Airport (, ) , formerly known as Mogadishu International Airport, is an international airport serving Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. It is named after Aden Abdullah Osman Daar, the first President of Somalia. Orig ...

to oversee military operations against al-Shabaab in the

Middle Shabelle Middle Shabelle (, , ) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in southern Somalia. It is bordered by Hiran to the north, Galgaduud to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south and the region of Lower Shabelle and the capital Mogadishu to the ...

region. The president was unharmed in the attack.

Background

Al-Shabaab, a fundamentalist militant group and ally of

al-Qaeda , image = Flag of Jihad.svg , caption = Jihadist flag, Flag used by various al-Qaeda factions , founder = Osama bin Laden{{Assassinated, Killing of Osama bin Laden , leaders = {{Plainlist, * Osama bin Lad ...

, has waged an insurgency for more than a decade and continues to control parts of southern and central Somalia. The group tried to

assassinate Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...

Hassan in 2012, 2013, and 2014.

Major offensives in southern Somalia

On 20 February 2025, al-Shabaab started a new offensive in

Hirshabelle State Hirshabelle, officially Hirshabelle State of Somalia ( Somali: ''Dowlad Goboleedka Hirshabelle ee Soomaaliya''), is a Federal Member State in south-central Somalia. It is bordered by Galmudug state of Somalia to the north, South West State o ...

called "Operation Ramadan" against the

Somali National Army The Somali National Army () are the ground forces component of the Somali Armed Forces. Since Somali independence in 1960, the Army fought to expand and increase Somalia's sphere of influence throughout the Horn of Africa counter to Ethiopia' ...

African Union Mission in Somalia The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was a Multinational force formed by the African Union. The operation deployed to Somalia soon after the Islamic Courts Union was deposed by troops from Ethiopia during a large scale invasion in l ...

forces, and allied

Ma'awisley Ma'awisley () are a collection of clan-based militias based in central Somalia, primarily active in the states of Hirshabelle and Galmudug. Formed as a grassroots response to the militant group al-Shabaab, they have emerged as a critical, albeit ...

clan militias (). The militant group's objective was to regain territory lost in the 2022 ground offensive led by the

Federal Government A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a political union, union of partially federated state, self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a #Federal governments, federal government (federalism) ...

and

African Union The African Union (AU) is a continental union of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa. The AU was announced in the Sirte Declaration in Sirte, Libya, on 9 September 1999, calling for the establishment of the African Union. The b ...

, particularly strategic towns and supply routes, and to take control of Somalia's capital

Mogadishu Mogadishu, locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port connecting traders across the Indian Ocean for millennia and has ...

. Within the first day of the offensive, al-Shabaab took over more than 15 towns and villages in the regions of

, Hiran, and

Lower Shabelle Lower Shabelle (, , , ) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in southern Somalia. Geography Lower Shabelle is bordered by the regions of Banaadir, Middle Shabelle (Shabeellaha Dhexe), Hiran, Bay, Middle Jubba (Jubbada Dhexe) and by the ...

. The state capital

Jowhar Jowhar (, , Italian: ''Giohar'') is the capital city of Hirshabelle state of Somalia. Jowhar is also the administrative capital of Middle Shabelle region of Somalia. Along with Baidoa, it used to form the joint administrative capital of th ...

was later surrounded by al-Shabaab fighters, and Hirshabelle president

Ali Abdullahi Hussein Ali Abdullahi Hussein (Ali Guudlaawe) (, born 1974) is a Somali politician who has served as the President of Hirshabelle from 12 November 2020. Biography Gudlawe completed his primary and secondary education in Jowhar. Then he received his ...

fled the city. Opposition media compared the event to Afghan president

Ashraf Ghani Mohammad Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai (born 19 May 1949) is an Afghan former politician and economist who served as the president of Afghanistan from September 2014 until August 2021, when his government was 2021 Taliban offensive, overthrown by the Ta ...

's escape from Kabul when it fell to the Taliban. On 7 March 2025, the American Embassy in Mogadishu issued an alert cautioning of potential military operations by al-Shabaab, prompting several nations to cancel flights to

. In a speech on 8 March 2025, Mohamud stated that America was disseminating "fake alerts", and such warnings were intended to destabilize his administration. Mohamud argued that these alerts undermined Somalia's sovereignty and urged the nation to focus on self-reliance rather than depending on foreign support.

Beledweyne hotel attack and siege

On 11 March 2025, six al-Shabaab attackers stormed the Cairo Hotel in

Beledweyne Beledweyne (, ) is a city in central Somalia. Beledweyne District is the capital city of the Hiran region. The city is situated in the Shebelle Valley riverine near the Ethiopian border, 210 miles (345 km) north of Mogadishu. Beledweyne ...

, detonating a suicide car bomb and launching a 24-hour

siege A siege () . is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or by well-prepared assault. Siege warfare (also called siegecrafts or poliorcetics) is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict charact ...

. The hotel was hosting clan elders and military officials coordinating Shabelle offensives. More than 21 people were killed, including all six attackers and two traditional elders, while dozens were injured.

Attack

The bomb struck a vehicle as it passed a checkpoint near the president's at el-Gaabta intersection, a heavily fortified part of the security perimeter surrounding the presidential complex

in Somalia's capital,

. President Mohamud's entourage was traveling to

to join troops on the front lines in

Hirshabelle Hirshabelle, officially Hirshabelle State of Somalia ( Somali: ''Dowlad Goboleedka Hirshabelle ee Soomaaliya''), is a Federal Member State in south-central Somalia. It is bordered by Galmudug state of Somalia to the north, South West State ...

. The bomb was planted on the roadside beneath a two-story building, causing severe damage, including to a neighboring security convoy's bulletproof vehicle. Al-Shabaab militants claimed responsibility for the attack.

Victims

The blast killed at least 10 people, seven security personnel and three civilians, and injured 20 others. Among the victims was 31-year-old Somali Radio Risaala journalist Mohamed Abukar Dabaashe, who became the first journalist killed in Somalia in 2025. Other eyewitnesses only reported two or three deaths.

Aftermath

Later, the state media SNTV published photos of him in the

Adan Yabal district Adan Yabal District () is a district in the southeastern Middle Shabelle (Shabeellaha Dhexe) region of Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in ...

region, where SNA and local forces are combating the ongoing al-Shabaab offensive. Twenty-two journalists reporting the attack from the prominent radio station Risaala Media, which was briefly shutdown by the government, were detained by

police The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...

. On 19 March 2025, al-Shabaab launched multiple mortar attacks targeting

and the Halane compound where several foreign entities, including the United Nations headquarters were located. In response to the attacks, the

and the

National Intelligence and Security Agency The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) (, , HSNQ) is the national intelligence agency and security agency of the Federal Republic of Somalia. It is headquartered in Mogadishu. The NISA is also closely intertwined with the Somali ...

killed more than 6 al-Shabaab leaders during an assault operation in

Reactions

Presidential adviser Zakariye Hussein wrote in a post on X that Hassan was "good and well on his way to the front lines." The Ministry of Information of Somalia released a statement calling the attack a "cowardly act of desperation". Former presidents

Sharif Sheikh Ahmed Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed (, ; born 25 July 1965) is a Somali politician who served as the 7th President of Somalia from 2009 to 2012. Before his presidency, he became the Chairman of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) from 2004 to 2007 and the A ...

and

Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (, ; born March 11, 1962), also known as Farmaajo, is a Somali politician who served as president of Somalia from 2017 to 2022. He was Prime Minister of Somalia, prime minister of Somalia for six months, from Novembe ...

, former prime minister

Abdi Farah Shirdon Abdi Farah Shirdon (; ; born 1958) is a Somali businessman, economist and politician. He served as the prime minister of Somalia between October 2012 and December 2013. Shirdon is credited with having overseen significant development in social s ...

, MP Abdullahi Hashi Abib and Puntland minister of interior

Abdi Farah Said Juha Abdi Farah Saed Juxa is a Puntland politician currently serving as the Puntland minister of interior. He previously served as Puntland's minister of education. On 21 March 2017, he was appointed as Somalia's Minister of Interior and Federal Aff ...

condemned the attack. The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) condemned the attempted killing, calling it a "cowardly attack" and extending condolences to Dabaashe's family and the broader media community. Several different countries and organizations offered condolences and condemnation of the attack, including Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Mauritania, Palestine, Qatar Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Newly-elected

Chairperson of the African Union Commission The Chairperson of the African Union Commission is the head of the African Union Commission (AUC). They are the Chief Executive Officer, legal representative of the African Union (AU), and the Commission’s Chief Accounting Officer. They are e ...

and Djiboutian foreign minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf condemned the attack as did the

Arab League The Arab League (, ' ), officially the League of Arab States (, '), is a regional organization in the Arab world. The Arab League was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945, initially with seven members: Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt, Kingdom of Iraq, ...

, OIC secretary-general Hissein Brahim Taha and

UN secretary-general The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or UNSECGEN) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the United Nations System#Six principal organs, six principal organs of ...

António Guterres António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres (born 30 April 1949) is a Portuguese politician and diplomat who is serving as the ninth and current secretary-general of the United Nations since 2017. A member of the Socialist Party (Portugal), ...

References

{{Somali Civil War (2009–present) 2020s crimes in Mogadishu Al-Shabaab (militant group) attacks in Mogadishu Attacks on government buildings and structures in Mogadishu Building bombings in Mogadishu Mohamud, Hassan 2025 building bombings 21st-century mass murder in Somalia Islamic terrorist incidents in 2025 March 2025 crimes in Africa March 2025 in Somalia Mass murder in 2025 Mass murder in Mogadishu Political history of Somalia Terrorist incidents in Somalia in 2025 Somali Civil War (2009–present)