Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has recalled surviving the deadly October 2017 Mogadishu bombing as he opened a national conference on combating extremist ideology and called for unity against Al-Shabaab.
MOGADISHU (Somali Report) — Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Wednesday recalled surviving the devastating October 2017 Mogadishu truck bombing as he opened a national conference aimed at countering extremist ideology, urging citizens to unite against Al-Shabaab.
The conference, organised by the Tubsan National Centre under the prime minister’s office, comes on the ninth anniversary of the October 14, 2017, attack, one of the deadliest in Somalia’s history.
Barre said his government was pursuing a campaign to defeat Al-Shabaab both militarily and ideologically, arguing that Somalis had increasingly recognised the threat the group posed to their society and statehood.
The 2017 bombing killed hundreds of people and wounded many more when a truck packed with explosives detonated in a busy area of the capital. The attack shocked the country and prompted widespread public anger against the Al-Qaeda-linked group, which has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for more than a decade.
Recounting his experience, Barre said he had been close to the blast site when the explosion occurred and had narrowly escaped death.
"I was among those whom God saved. I was passing through that area at the time and went to a house where we lived, about 200 steps from the place where the explosion occurred," he said, according to a statement from his office.
"When the blast happened, I fell to the ground. God spared me from a speeding vehicle, and the house collapsed. We were all among those who survived," he added.
The prime minister said his administration had prioritised efforts to challenge the group's ideology, including by mobilising Somali religious scholars to explain what the government describes as the distortion of Islamic teachings by Al-Shabaab.
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According to Barre, Somali clerics convened after the government took office and issued a religious ruling declaring that the group's conduct and actions resembled those of the historical Khawarij, a term used in Islamic discourse to describe a group accused of extreme religious views and rebellion.
The ruling, he said, affirmed that confronting the group's ideology was as important as fighting its members through military operations and other measures.
Al-Shabaab, which controls parts of southern and central Somalia, has repeatedly carried out bombings, assassinations and attacks on security forces, government institutions and civilians. The group seeks to overthrow the internationally backed federal government and impose its own strict interpretation of Islamic law.
Somali forces, supported by international partners, have conducted operations against the militants in recent years, although the group continues to pose a major security threat.
Barre called on Somalis to work together to eliminate what he described as extremist groups still present in limited areas of the country.
He said the government would continue its campaign to remove the militants from Somali territory, while emphasising the need for public cooperation in countering their influence.
The conference reflects the government's broader approach to tackling extremism through security operations, religious engagement and public awareness campaigns, as Somalia continues its long-running struggle to restore stability after decades of conflict.
The October 2017 bombing remains a defining moment in the country's recent history, with annual commemorations honouring victims and survivors while renewing calls for national unity against violence.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
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