MOGADISHU, Somalia (Horn Life)- In a stern warning to the public, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia has vowed to crack down on the possession and trade of illegal weapons, speaking during Friday prayers at Villa Somalia Mosque.
President Mohamud’s message was unambiguous: “Do not keep weapons in your home, do not transport them, and avoid the arms trade at all costs. Regret will offer no salvation later,” he said, urging Somalis to steer clear of illegal arms activities.
The President also indicated that security forces would not shy away from taking decisive action, stating that they would obtain court orders for raids on homes suspected of harboring illegal arms, even in the early hours of the morning.
This announcement follows a series of police operations in Mogadishu where, on Thursday, authorities confiscated 33 AK-47 rifles and four PKM machine guns, arresting four individuals involved in the arms trade.
Banadir Regional Police Commander Mahdi Omar Mumin echoed the President’s call for vigilance, warning that those found dealing in weapons within Banadir would face arrest.
The government’s resolve comes after a July 2024 resolution prohibiting arms trading by non-state actors, amid escalating tensions with Ethiopia, which Somalia accuses of illegally supplying weapons to Puntland, an action Somalia’s Foreign Ministry has condemned as violating sovereignty and jeopardizing regional security.
