Mogadishu (WDN)– Growing fears are sweeping across Mogadishu as the capital’s defenses appear to be faltering under sustained militant pressure. A wave of coordinated bomb attacks hit several neighborhoods in the early hours of Monday, raising fresh concerns over the government’s ability to protect even the heart of the nation.

The latest attacks targeted Hamarweyne, Hamarjajab, and Waabari districts, where mortars and artillery shells struck both civilian homes and open areas. One civilian was killed and another injured, according to eyewitnesses and local sources.

Security analysts say the frequency and reach of these attacks signal a worrying shift: Mogadishu is no longer a secure zone. The federal government’s silence following the strikes has only deepened public anxiety.

Residents now speak openly of their fears, some considering relocation as Al-Shabaab militants close in from the surrounding Shabelle region. The once-unthinkable reality—that Mogadishu might fall into chaos again—is now being whispered in homes and coffee shops.

The anxiety isn’t limited to civilians. Diplomats and international workers stationed in the fortified Halane compound are reportedly reassessing their security protocols. The compound, which hosts UN missions and foreign embassies, is one of the most heavily guarded zones in the capital. Yet recent mortar attacks—some landing perilously close—have rattled nerves and raised questions about the long-term viability of maintaining a diplomatic presence in the city.

Just days before the current wave, mortars rained down on the presidential compound, with one striking the National Theatre and injuring a staff member. During the Ethiopian Prime Minister’s brief visit to Mogadishu last month, the Aden Adde International Airport itself was shelled.

The militant group Al-Shabaab has shifted its focus to key entry points around the capital, launching attacks in areas such as Lafoole, Hawo Abdi, and along the Bal’ad road. Simultaneously, the town of Afgoye in Lower Shabelle has also suffered heavy shelling in recent days. With the government locked in a grinding war along multiple fronts, and the capital increasingly vulnerable, the question now being asked in both Somali households and foreign missions is no longer if—but when—the militants will breach the gates of Mogadishu again.

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