MOGADISHU – Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Macalin Fiqi has announced a nationwide ban on unmarked military vehicles and soldiers operating without clear identification, a move prompted by major security concerns following a brazen al-Shabaab attack on a high-security prison in Mogadishu last week.
The decision, Minister Fiqi stated, is intended to close security loopholes that the militant group has exploited to carry out attacks. The announcement comes after al-Shabaab militants used a vehicle marked with the insignia of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) in their assault on the heavily fortified Godka Jilacow prison.
“The government will issue a law prohibiting unmarked vehicles or soldiers from operating within Mogadishu or anywhere in the country,” Minister Fiqi declared.
He explained that al-Shabaab has increasingly resorted to imitating government vehicles and operations to bypass security checkpoints.
“When the attackers could not gain access through public transport, they used a vehicle disguised as a government car. It was a rare incident that will never be allowed to happen again,” the Defense Minister added.
His remarks follow the sophisticated attack one week ago on the Godka Jilacow prison, one of the most secure facilities in the capital. The assault, which involved a vehicle painted with official NISA symbols, has raised significant concerns about al-Shabaab’s ability to infiltrate key security perimeters using deception and impersonation tactics
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