Mortar Attack Near Somali Presidential Palace Injures Three

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: At least three people, including a Quranic teacher, were injured early Saturday when several mortar rounds struck near Somalia’s presidential palace in Mogadishu, witnesses and local media said.

The early morning blasts hit residential neighborhoods surrounding Villa Somalia, the official residence of the president, prompting a swift response from security forces.

“We were just waking up when we heard the first explosion. Then several more followed. Everyone was terrified,” a local shopkeeper told journalists.

Authorities cordoned off the affected area, as an investigation into the incident began. The identity of the perpetrators and their intended target remain unclear.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the Al-Shabaab militant group has previously launched similar attacks targeting government facilities and officials in the capital.

The assault comes as the Somali government continues to push forward with national political reforms and security operations aimed at stabilizing the region.