Somalia: SYL Hotel Al-Shabaab mastermind worked in parliament

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The mastermind of the SYL Hotel Al-Shabaab raid was a former worker in the Lower House of Somalia parliament, Garowe Online can exclusively report, what showcases security lapses within the Horn of Africa nation.

According to data obtained by GO, Liban Mohamed Mohamud, was one of the five terrorists who descended on the popular eatery on Thursday night, leaving at least four soldiers dead and dozens of civilians injured. The attack was waged at around 9 pm local time.

The ID obtained from the crime scene shows Liban Mohamed Mohamud was a worker in the Lower House, who has since joined the Al-Shabaab group. He worked as a technician in the House, details indicated in the Identification Card revealed.

A report by the police in Mogadishu reveals that all five gunmen were killed after 15 hours of siege. The elite squads from the Somali National Army took part in the search and rescue mission during the operation, officials said.

The eatery is frequented by senior government officials including Members of Parliament who had visited for Ifar. This further confirms that Liban may have been tracing the legislators before unleashing through Person-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices.

The attack took place near the Presidential Palace where President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud operates, police said. The al-Shabaab militants took responsibility for the attack but did not reveal the motive behind it.

It is not the first time insiders have engaged in Al-Shabaab raids across the country. In December 2022, the driver of the former speaker of Somalia’s parliament Mohamed Mursal defected to the Al-Qaeda-aligned militant group Al-Shabaab after he was found working with the group.

The Al-Shabaab militants are on the receiving end after the government of Somalia unleashed operations across the country. The first phase of operations targeted central regions in Galmudug and Hirshabelle, leaving close to 3,000 militants dead.

GAROWE ONLINE