Successful Security Operation Foils Roadside Bomb Plot in Marka, Somalia

Somali security and intelligence forces based in the coastal city of Marka, Lower Shabelle region, have successfully carried out an operation that foiled a plot by militants to plant roadside bombs on major roads leading into the city.
During the operation, the security forces managed to apprehend militants who were acting as lookouts and also seized explosives intended for use in making the roadside bombs.
Mohamed Sheikh Hassan, the Marka District Security Chief and Deputy Security Chairman, provided details of the operation to the national media.
“The operation today took place in an area called Shalambood and Ceelb Jaalle, a location between Xal Cashiya and Bacaadi, north of Cel Caddo,” he explained.
Hassan stated that they had received intelligence that the militants had planted mines on the road the previous night. “We took preemptive action, as this is an ongoing battle. Sometimes we intercept mines being brought into the city, and other times we pursue the militants themselves,” he added.
Acting on the intelligence, the security forces set up an ambush the following night in the area where the mines were reportedly planted.
“There was an exchange of fire when armed men approached, including those carrying the explosives and an engineer. One of our soldiers was slightly injured in the shootout,” Hassan recounted.
The security chief confirmed that one militant was killed during the operation, while another, believed to be an explosives expert, was apprehended.
“If that bomb had reached the market area, it could have killed around 20 people,” Hassan warned, underscoring the significance of the successful operation in preventing potential loss of life.
The Somali security forces have been conducting multiple operations to ensure security in the region, with this latest success being a major blow to the militants’ efforts to disrupt peace and stability in Marka and its surrounding areas.