NISA Arrests Nine Suspected Al-Shabab Members in Mogadishu

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) has said it has arrested nine people suspected of being members of Al-Shabaab who were allegedly planning attacks in and around the capital.

The agency said the suspects had been operating covertly in Garasbaley and Kahda districts and in the Elasha Biyaha area on the outskirts of Mogadishu.

According to NISA, four of those arrested were part of a network allegedly involved in planning attacks against civilians and security targets.

The agency said its intelligence officers had monitored the suspects’ movements for some time before carrying out separate arrests at locations where they were staying.

NISA did not identify the suspects or provide details of the attacks they were allegedly preparing but added that investigations are continuing and the suspects are expected to be handed over to judicial authorities once the inquiry is completed.

Security Pressure

The arrests come as Somali security agencies intensify intelligence-led operations against Al-Shabaab networks in Mogadishu and other parts of the country.

Security agencies have increasingly focused on disrupting the group’s networks before they can carry out attacks, rather than relying solely on operations after an incident.

The latest arrests also come as Somalia works to strengthen its own security institutions and gradually assume greater responsibility for national security, with African Union-backed forces continuing to support Somali operations.

For residents of Mogadishu, where major attacks in the past have caused significant civilian casualties and disruption, intelligence operations remain a key part of efforts to prevent violence in the capital.

NISA said investigations into the nine suspects were ongoing.