1.6.1. Civilian government and governance officials, district commissioners

For specific background information on the rationale and the reasons behind the targeting of government officials, at FGS and FMS level, as well as at district level, please see the EASO COI Report Somalia: Targeted profiles (September 2021).570

High-ranking government officials. Prominent and high-ranking government officials were targeted during the reference period on several occasions. The list below provides for some illustrative and non-exhaustive examples:

• on 6 April 2023, the military convoy escorting the governor of Hiraan was attacked with a remote controlled IED;571 
• on 9 April 2023, the Minister of Public Works’ residency in Mogadishu, in the vicinity of Villa Somalia, was targeted with mortars, likely by Al-Shabaab, causing the death of the minister and other government officials, including the Deputy Director of the Presidential Palace;572
• on 11 May 2023, the vehicle of the deputy governor of finance of Banadir region was targeted with an IED planted by Al-Shabaab;573
• on 15 September 2023, Al-Shabaab attempted at the life of Galmudug State President near Hobyo (Mudug);574 
• on 19 February 2024, a suspected Al-Shabaab threw a hand grenade targeting a high-profile Jubaland state official in Kismayo town;575
• on 15 March 2024, Al-Shabaab attacked the Syl Hotel in Mogadishu, which is popular with government officials, injuring the government spokesperson, along with three members of the parliament, and causing 30 additional casualties;576 
• on 22 July 2024, Al-Shabaab targeted with an IED the Jubaland Minister of Religious Affair, while escorted by the Jubaland security forces convoy in between Kismayo and Abdale Birole village (Lower Juba). The minister and two soldiers were injured;577
• on 27 February 2025, Al-Shabaab fired 11 mortar shells toward the Aden Adde International Airport area in Mogadishu - Waaberi (Banadir), on occasion of the Ethiopian Prime Minister’s official visit to Mogadishu and at the presence of the Somalia President;578 
• on 18 March 2025, Al-Shabaab attempted at the life of the President, with a major IED attack on his convoy transiting through Mogadishu,579 which caused at least 10 fatalities, including a journalist;580 
• on 19 March 2025, Al-Shabaab, overnight, targeted the Southwest State Minister with an IED planted at the gate of his residence in Baidoa (Bay).581

Government officials. Other government officials and employees, along with civilians, were directly or indiscriminately targeted by Al-Shabaab on various occasions during the reference period. These instances included:

• indiscriminate attacks in hotels, restaurants, and cafés, such as: on 10 June 2023, when Al-Shabaab attacked the Pearl Beach Hotel, popular with government officials, causing about 16 casualties;582 on 14 July 2024, when Al-Shabaab targeted a popular café in Mogadishu – Top Coffee, where security and government workers, along with civilians, meet at night; on the occasion they were watching the EURO 2024 football final when 9 civilians were killed and 20 others injured;583 on 16 July 2024, when Al-Shabaab suicide bomber targeted civilian employee and officials of Banadir Region Administration (BRA) in Jawi coffee house in Mogadishu - Hamar Weyne (Banadir), causing the death of 7 people and injuries to other five;584 on 2 August 2024, when Al-Shabaab attacked the Beach View Hotel at Lido beach in Mogadishu, targeting ‘politicians, [security] forces and employees from various ministries and offices’,585 causing the death of nearly 100 people and over 280 casualties;586 
   
• targeted killing, by shooting, of government officials, such as: on 26 November 2023, of a civilian working at the Ministry of Women and Human rights development in Mogadishu – Dharkenley;587 on 29 April 2024, of a government official working with the ministry of religious affairs in Mogadishu - Wadajir (Banadir);588 on 4 October 2024, of a government employee working for the Ministry of Agriculture inside his home in Mogadishu – Dharkenley;589 on 2, 20, and 23 February 2025, of government and district officials respectively in Bardheere (Gedo),590 Baidoa (Bay),591 Belet Hawo (Gedo),592 and in Baidoa again on 2 March 2025;593 on 8 March 2025, of the administrator of Ceel-Caadle village in Middle Shabelle, along with his security guards;594 
   
• planting of IED: on 12 May 2024, overnight, Al-Shabaab targeted with IED the residential house of a former Information Minister of Southwest administration, and of the Deputy Ministry of Religion in Baidoa (Bay).595

District commissioners. Based on ACLED data, in the reference period, Al-Shabaab targeted district and deputy district commissioners, often at their residential houses or while travelling in convoys, by using suicide bombers, hand grenades, remotely controlled IED, or shooting. Most events took place in south-central Somalia, notably in Mogadishu (Benadir), Bay, Lower Shabelle, Middle Shabelle, Gedo, Hiraan, and Lower Juba regions. ACLED kept truck of 30 of such events resulting in at least 41 estimated fatalities and an unspecified number of casualties.596 

Tax collectors. Tax collectors formally or informally working for the state or the local government institutions have been targeted on several occasions in the reference period. ACLED kept track of 8 such events, which took place in south-central Somalia – notably Mogadishu, Lower Shabelle, Middle Shabelle, Lower Juba – and involved victims shooting, but also abduction in one case. These attacks resulted in at least 7 estimated fatalities, 11 people injured and another unspecified number of casualties.597