Last night, Mogadishu’s popular Liido Beach became a scene of horror as gunmen and a suicide bomber from Al-Shabaab launched a deadly attack, killing over 60 and wounding more than a hundred civilians who were there for weekend leisure. Official reports from Mogadishu police put the death toll at 32, with 63 injured. However, this discrepancy has sparked public outrage on social media, as Mogadishu hospitals have confirmed admitting over 60 fatalities.

This tragic and deadly attack has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of the city’s heightened security measures. Despite the extensive network of security checkpoints and the presence of a robust security apparatus, the militants managed to navigate through multiple barriers and reach a heavily guarded area. It is imperative to scrutinize these security lapses to understand how such a breach occurred and to prevent future attacks.

Heightened Security Measures

Mogadishu has been on high alert, with all its entrance gates from neighboring regions – Lower Shabelle region and Middle Shabelle regions, including its beaches, equipped with security checkpoints. Inside Mogadishu, every street is dotted with numerous checkpoints where ordinary citizens are subjected to rigorous searches. The presence of these security checkpoints is meant to deter and detect any potential threats and ensure public safety.

However, the Liido Beach attack has exposed significant vulnerabilities in the current security framework, raising major questions that need addressing.

1. How did Five Al-Shabaab gunmen armed with bombs and guns pass through Mogadishu’s security checkpoints?

• Who has Facilitated this Attack for Al-Shabaab?

• How did armed Al-Shabaab militia reach Liido, despite its strict security?

• Who is responsible for Mogadishu’s Security Failure and the Massacre at the Beach Last Night?

• Why did the Government conceal the Death Toll and Mislead the Public?