Three of a family killed in shelling near Mogadishu airport

There were no immediate comments from the security agencies on the shelling, which was targeted the airport, which is a key financial source for the weak UN-backed Somali government.

News Keydmedia Online
25 March 2021

MOGADISHU, Somalia – At least three Somali civilians, all from one family, were killed and several others wounded in mortar shelling around the heavily fortified Mogadishu airport on Thursday morning.

A police source confirmed to KON that four mortars have been fired from an unknown location within Mogadishu to the airport as Somali leaders are holding talks in the facility to discuss the electoral standoff.

The civilians have been killed by a mortar round that struck their house located in the vicinity of the airport which is adjacent to Halane camp hosting UN offices and AU military, according to the eyewitnesses.

"A mortar hit a house and killed 3 on the spot. The injured were evacuated to a hospital," said a police official, who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media on the incident.

There were no immediate comments from the security agencies on the shelling, which was targeted the airport, which is a key financial source for the weak UN-backed Somali government.

Early this month, several AU soldiers were wounded in a similar mortar shelling on the Halane compound by Al-Shabaab, Al-Qaeda’s East Africa ally.

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