Following twin car bombs attack in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on Friday that left over 50 killed, Somali government has significantly increased security around the Presidential Palace “Villa Somalia”.
The first car bomb went off after militants breached a checkpoint near the president’s residence by shooting at security personnel. The second blast was a car bomb parked in front of a hotel away from the palace. Security forces shot dead five assailants.
While intensifying security against the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab is encouraged, over- deployment of troops around Villa Somalia can further put the facility in danger due to crowding.
In the event bombs (RPG or Mortar shells) are fired at the soldiers, massive troop loss is highly likely and that’s a vulnerability.
The Friday explosions shattered a months-long period of calm in Mogadishu, which is often the target of attacks by Al-Shabaab militants.
