Al-Shabaab's attacks during the 2022 elections: Beledweyne and Mogadishu

In short

Somalia's lower house was chosen in 2021–2022 by delegates, including clan elders, before members elected the president in May 2022 (see Somali presidential election, 2022 and Elections in Somalia). During the voting al-Shabaab attacked Beledweyne, the main town of Hiiraan, and the airport area in Mogadishu. This page records those attacks as the sources report them.

Beledweyne, 19 February 2022

On Saturday 19 February 2022, the eve of the first round of voting for Beledweyne's parliamentary seats, a suicide bomber set off explosives at the Hassan Dhiif restaurant, which was crowded with local officials and politicians eating lunch. At least 13 people were killed, mostly civilians, and 20 wounded; two deputy district commissioners were among the dead. A police officer, Mohamud Hassan, said: "This was the deadliest attack I can recall in this town." Al-Shabaab claimed the attack, according to SITE Intelligence (Al Jazeera, 19 February 2022). Wikipedia gives a later toll of 14 dead (Wikipedia, February 2022 Beledweyne bombing).

The UN put the toll at "at least 18 people, including government officials", and said the bomb went off "while a campaign meeting of electoral delegates and other officials was under way" (S/2022/392, para. 17).

Mogadishu airport, 23 March 2022

On Wednesday 23 March 2022 security forces shot dead two gunmen who tried to storm the heavily guarded area near Mogadishu's main airport, which houses the UN, aid agencies, foreign missions and the headquarters of AMISOM. Three people were killed: a policeman, an AMISOM soldier and a civilian. Al-Shabaab claimed the attack (Arab News, AFP, 24 March 2022).

The UN Secretary-General's account: "In Mogadishu on 23 March a group of armed Al-Shabaab fighters disguised in military uniforms infiltrated the Aden Adde International Airport zone and attacked the SafeLane Global compound." The attack "resulted in five fatalities, including three SafeLane international employees and one Somali police officer". Two attackers were killed, and al-Shabaab fired six mortar rounds at the airport zone during the attack, with no casualties (S/2022/392, para. 14).

Beledweyne, 23 March 2022

That night in Beledweyne a suicide bomber killed two local lawmakers, among them Amina Mohamed Abdi, a member of parliament who was campaigning for re-election, along with several of her guards. Minutes later a car bomb exploded outside the town's main hospital, where the injured were being taken. The district police chief, Colonel Isak Ali Abdulle, said more than 30 people were killed in the second blast alone and that the attackers "readied a car loaded with explosives in front of a hospital to cause more casualties." Al-Shabaab said it had targeted politicians contesting the elections. The British ambassador, Katie Foster, condemned the use of violence "to intimidate and disrupt the elections" (Arab News, AFP, 2022). Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo condemned the attacks (Wikipedia, March 2022 Somalia attacks).

The UN Secretary-General's account: "On 23 March, a person-borne improvised explosive device detonated near the Hiraan administration headquarters while electoral activities were ongoing. This explosion was followed by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive attack, which impacted first responders transporting the injured towards medical centres. The state administration reported that 50 people were killed, including female Member of Parliament, Amina Mohamed Abdi, and 106 injured" (UN Security Council, S/2022/392, para. 19). "Shabaab quickly claimed credit for the suicide bombings" (Long War Journal, 24 March 2022).

Beledweyne was Hirshabelle's second voting location. After tensions between the state administration and the Hawadle clan, voting there began on 20 February. On 20 March, three days before the bombings, the state President, Ali Abdullahi Hussein "Gudlawe", replaced the head of the state election team after "complaints from clan elders and opposition candidates over the lack of transparency" (S/2022/392, para. 4). After Amina Mohamed Abdi's killing, "women candidates expressed concerns over their personal safety and security" (same source, para. 26).

Other attacks on the election, February to April 2022

The UN wrote that "the acceleration in the electoral process led to increased Al-Shabaab attacks, mainly in the locations hosting parliamentary elections" (S/2022/392, paras. 15–19):

• 9 February, Baraawe. Mortars aimed at a polling station hit a residential area, killing four civilians.
• 10 February, Mogadishu. A suicide bomber targeted a bus carrying Somaliland electoral delegates in Xamar Weyne district. The bus was missed; five bystanders were killed.
• 19 February, Bosaso. A bomb at a tea shop, "reportedly targeting elders involved in the electoral process", killed four people. Two days later a roadside bomb hit the convoy of Puntland's President Said Abdullahi Deni; he was unharmed, and two soldiers were killed.
• 14 April, Mogadishu. Mortars fell near the Somali Air Force hangar at the airport during the swearing-in of new members of parliament. One guard was slightly injured.

See the war against al-Shabaab since 2009 and the deadliest bombings in Mogadishu.

Who suffered?

• People in Beledweyne, including the wounded and those taking them to hospital: 50 dead and 106 injured by the administration's count (S/2022/392).
• Amina Mohamed Abdi, a sitting member of parliament standing for re-election, and another parliamentary candidate (S/2022/392; Long War Journal).
• Workers in the Mogadishu airport zone: three foreign employees of SafeLane Global and a Somali police officer among five dead (S/2022/392).
• Women candidates, who raised fears for their safety after the killing (S/2022/392, para. 26).

Sources differ

• Deaths on 19 February. At least 13 (Al Jazeera, citing state television); 14 in later counts (Wikipedia); at least 18 (UN, S/2022/392).
• Deaths in Beledweyne on 23 March. More than 30 (police, via AFP, the next day); at least 48 dead and 108 injured in the authorities' later estimate (Wikipedia); at least 48 (Long War Journal); 50 dead and 106 injured by the Hiraan administration's count (UN, S/2022/392).
• Deaths at the airport. Three plus two attackers (AFP); five plus two attackers (Wikipedia and the UN, S/2022/392).

Read the primary sources yourself

• UN Secretary-General, report on Somalia, S/2022/392 (13 May 2022), paras. 4, 14–19 and 26: PDF.

• Caleb Weiss and Andrew Tobin, "Shabaab kills dozens in twin suicide bombings targeting Somalia's election process", Long War Journal, 24 March 2022: article.

• Al Jazeera, "At least 13 killed by suicide bomber in central Somalia" (2022): article.

• AFP via Arab News, "More than 30 killed in twin attacks in Somalia" (2022): article.