Mogadishu main roads reopen after five-day closure

After a five days lockdown, the Somali government on Wednesday opened up major roads to allow movement of commuters and vehicles in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

On September 9th, all major roads in Mogadishu were blocked by hundreds of Somali forces to secure the one-day IGAD Summit for heads of states and prevent attacks by the terrorist group Al-Shabaab.

Some of  Mogadishu’s residents who spoke to Goobjoog News said the security operations hampered people and slowed down the businesses.

“Today the major roads in Mogadishu have been re-opened following five days of lockdown which was the longest times the government has closed the city’s main roads,” Farah Abdi.

Somali government officials have confirmed that Somali forces reopened all the roads  following the conclusion of  IGAD summit which took place on Tuesday.

Two days ago, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmud has appealed to Mogadishu residents to put up with total lockdown of vital Mogadishu roads which has hindered the movement and led to closure of business premises.

Somalia has hosted the summit of the regional bloc IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development)  which was the first of its kind in the Somali capital since the Horn of Africa nation plunged into conflict in 1991.