Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s motorcade was hit by a bomb attack in the capital, Mogadishu, as it traveled through the city.
The militant group Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.
Government and military officials confirmed that the president was unharmed. A presidential adviser later assured the public that Mohamud was safe and continuing his journey.
Eyewitnesses, including soldiers and local residents, reported that the convoy was struck during the assault. A Reuters journalist at the scene saw the bodies of four people killed near the presidential palace.
Al Shabaab released a statement saying its fighters deliberately targeted the vehicles carrying the president as they left the palace and headed toward the airport. The group has been waging an insurgency for years, seeking to overthrow the Somali government.
This was the first direct attempt on Mohamud’s life since 2014, when militants bombed a hotel where he was speaking during his first term as president. The latest attack underscores the ongoing threat posed by the group.
Hours after the incident, state media aired footage of Mohamud in Adan Yabal, a district in the Middle Shabelle region, where Somali forces are engaged in heavy fighting against Al Shabaab’s ongoing offensive. Despite the attack, the president remains focused on leading military efforts against the group.