Al-Shabaab attacks those complying with the Somali government’s directive to install surveillance cameras

Al-Shabaab has recently intensified its attacks on businesses and individuals complying with the Somali government's directive to install surveillance cameras.

Since October, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Centre has recorded 23 violent incidents in Mogadishu, resulting in 37 deaths, and said nearly 40% of these incidents were linked to Al-Shabaab retaliation against the installation of surveillance cameras.

The attacks have paralyzed key neighbourhoods, with markets in Yaqshid and Halawa districts closed under threat of violence. Al-Shabaab aims to scare citizens away from cooperating with the Somali government through these attacks.

The government’s monitoring initiative, launched in 2023, aims to curb al-Shabaab’s influence by exposing its extortion networks and operational movements. The group is said to collect monthly “taxes” from businesses, funneling the money into its insurgency