MOGADISHU, Somalia—Small business owners in Mogadishu are increasingly targeted and killed, with their shops blown up for installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) as mandated by the government to prevent crime and terrorism.
Under the constant threat from Al Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked group, these entrepreneurs find themselves unprotected and vulnerable. The group has begun targeting shopkeepers, leading many to close their businesses in fear. Others find themselves in a state of borderline paranoia, feeling there is nowhere to escape from a group that seems to have eyes and ears everywhere.
On Monday, at least three shopkeepers were killed by masked men armed with pistols, believed to be affiliated with Al Shabaab, in the Darusalam area of the capital for installing surveillance cameras outside their shops, witnesses reported.
Last month, a massive fire devastated the Safa and Marwo mini-markets in Elasha Biyaha, just 15 km from the capital. This fire is thought to have been caused by the detonation of explosive devices linked to Al Shabaab, targeting the shops for their installation of CCTV cameras.
In a phone interview, anonymous shopkeepers revealed that they received threats from men believed to be linked with Al Shabaab, demanding the removal of their CCTV cameras. After complying, they were arrested by security forces. Upon their release, they chose to reinstall the cameras for their protection. Tragically, within a day, their shops were destroyed by explosives.
These business owners now grapple with uncertainty and lack any compensation for their losses. The escalating violence serves as a reminder of how such tactics are employed by Al Shabaab to undermine government efforts to enhance security through mandated surveillance systems.
Security experts indicate that the militant group does not engage in negotiations, and those who defy their demands face the threat of having their businesses destroyed or even losing their lives. This ruthless strategy is designed to instill fear among the business community.
Experts further noted that when businesses comply with Al Shabaab’s demands, they risk arrest or having their shops permanently closed and licenses revoked by the local government. Consequently, entrepreneurs are caught between the threats of both sides.
Earlier this month, two businesses in the northern suburbs of Mogadishu were blown up in IED explosions related to their installation of CCTV cameras. These attacks in the Daynile district have raised fresh concerns about the Somali government’s ability to protect its citizens from Al Shabaab, which uses threats and violence to maintain control.
On August 31, two explosions devastated the main market in the Tabeelaha Sheikh Ibrahim area on the outskirts of Mogadishu, which had recently installed CCTV cameras following a federal government directive. The blasts, occurring in the early morning, caused significant damage, engulfing much of the commercial district in flames. Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene, with numerous shops and businesses destroyed by the fire.
These attacks are believed to be retaliatory, aimed at undermining the government’s security efforts through surveillance. However, no group has officially claimed responsibility for the explosions.
Recent events have underscored the vulnerability of supposedly secure areas to Al Shabaab’s violence. The group’s ability to carry out bombings in Daynile, despite the presence of security forces, highlights the ongoing challenges the Somali government faces in securing the capital and protecting its citizens from terrorism.
