Mogadishu (WDN)– This morning, mortar shells once again struck near Aden Adde International Airport and residential neighborhoods in Mogadishu’s Wadajir District. The attack wounded innocent civilians and left the city shaken—a chilling reminder of the fragile calm under which its residents live.

According to multiple sources, at least six mortar rounds were fired. Several of them struck inside the heavily fortified Halane compound, home to international organizations, foreign embassies, and the command center of the African Union peacekeeping mission. However, the devastation did not stop at government and diplomatic targets.

Residential neighborhoods near the airport were also hit, sparking panic and grief among civilians. In the Kaawo Godey neighborhood, a woman and a young man were injured when a shell exploded in their community — their ordinary morning shattered in a moment of terror.

“We heard a deafening blast,” a resident told Radio Kulmiye. “When we rushed out, we saw one of our neighbors, an elderly woman, badly wounded. A young man nearby was also hit. We’re traumatized — we live in constant fear, never knowing when the next shell will fall.”

Residents spent the morning tending to the injured, searching for loved ones, and clearing debris from their homes. Many voiced frustration at the government’s silence, as no immediate statement was issued by Somali security officials regarding the attack — or the one that occurred just a day earlier.

On April 5,, a similar barrage targeted areas near Villa Somalia, the presidential palace. One of the shells hit the National Theatre, injuring bystanders and sowing further dread in the heart of the capital.

These back-to-back assaults come amid an uptick in attacks by Al-Shabaab, the extremist group responsible for numerous bombings across Somalia. Their tactic of indiscriminate shelling has killed and maimed hundreds — often targeting civilians in high-density areas under the pretense of hitting government infrastructure.

The latest strike follows a separate attack on the same airport a month ago, during the brief visit of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. That strike was quickly followed by mortar shelling in Afgooye, Lower Shabelle, inflicting further casualties and highlighting the group’s growing operational reach.

In recent weeks, Al-Shabaab fighters have been increasingly active in the Shabelle regions, with sightings reported alarmingly close to Mogadishu — in places such as Elasha Biyaha, Lafoole, Xaawo Cabdi, and along the Balcad road.

As Mogadishu’s residents patch up shattered walls and broken spirits, the psychological toll deepens. For many families, this morning’s attack wasn’t just another headline — it was personal. It was terrifying. And it was yet another reminder that in Somalia, peace is as elusive as ever — and too often, civilians are left to pay the price.

WardheerNews