Al-Shabaab has repeatedly fired mortars at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu. Some mortars landed on the heavily-guarded Halane area of the airport that houses the African Union (AMISOM), United Nations Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and other International partners for Somalia. Other attacks such car bombing were also targeted in Aden Adde International Aiport and Halane Base.
Attacks on the airport and its surroundings have greater impact than al-Shabaab’s regular attacks in the city. While physical casualties such as death, injury and property damage could be the same, but such attacks to the airport will have far more impact for the community and the entire city.
Initially, Aden Adde International Airport provides services to all Somali people living in Mogadishu and other regions in Somalia, the airport is also a major source of revenue for the Somali government. In addition, it is used by aid and humanitarian agencies, diplomats based in Somalia and AMISOM’s mission to play a key role in Somalia’s peace and state-building process. moreover, the airport has been attracting international attention lately, as Somalia is witnessing impressive growth of it’s aviation sector.
If the government fail addressing by al-Shabaab’s attacks on the airport and its surroundings, it will affect all the operations at the airport, domestic and international flights will be stopped, humanitarian, aid and development agencies will move out. Embassies and other diplomatic missions will cease their operation in the country. The United Nations and African Union mission, which is fundamental to the process of peace-keeping, state-building in the country will be affected, as it will cause negative impact in terms of security, humanitarian aid as well as economic impact.
Therefore, I share this issue with the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somalia people and I strongly argue that the government do not assume the mortar attack landing in the airport as just a “Mortar Attack” and consider the negative result on attacks such important places. The federal government should consider defending and protecting the airport and other important sites of the country.
In conclusion, Al-Shabaab is a terrorist group and their characters is well-known to try to inflict with worsening pain to the community, the only expectations from of is to kill more, flee and destroy as much as they can. Therefore, Somali people must unite and combine their resources to prevent and fight this ruthless terrorist group who are against the our religion, traditions and human right principles. Finally, Everyone who is aware the difficulty process of re-opening the airport is very anxious about anything that could be damaged the reputation of the airport and spoil the daily activities of the Airport.