Not the first time... Somali president survives assassination attempt with mortar shells

In a failed attempt, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the president of the Federal Republic of Somalia, was targeted in an assassination attempt via a mortar attack during a visit to the south of the country on Friday.

Attempted assassination of the Somali president

The attack came after Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Baidoa, disembarked from the plane, and greeted army units stationed there. Several mortar shells were fired towards his location, but the president managed to escape, according to Bloomberg.

Somali president survives assassination attempt

The agency added that Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was unharmed in the attack, which targeted him with mortar shells during his visit to the city of Baidoa.

This was not the first time the Somali president had been targeted in an assassination attempt with mortar shells. In March of last year, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud survived a powerful explosion that targeted his convoy at a road junction near the Somali presidential palace as he was heading to Mogadishu airport.

The attack, for which al-Shabaab claimed responsibility, killed at least 8 civilians and injured others. The group indicated in a post on its Telegram channel that its fighters targeted the Somali president's convoy.

Following the attack, the president arrived in the towns of Aden Yabal in the Middle Shabelle region and Moqokori in the Hiran region to encourage government forces and local militias who have been fighting al-Shabaab militants in parts of Middle Shabelle for more than two weeks.