Thursday February 6, 2025
FILE – Banadir Regional Police Commander Moalim Mahdi addresses officials during a national prosecutors’ conference in Mogadishu, discussing the role of local traders in financing Al-Shabaab’s operations.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Explosive attacks orchestrated by Al-Shabaab in Mogadishu cost as much as $80,000 per operation, with Somali traders unknowingly funding the group’s activities, according to Banadir Regional Police Commander Moalim Mahdi.
Speaking at a national prosecutors’ conference, Mahdi revealed that Al-Shabaab secures much of its operational funding through extortion from business owners in key commercial areas, including Bakara Market, Suuq Bacaad, and Xamar Weyne. The money is used to finance the manufacturing and transport of explosive devices, which are often smuggled into Mogadishu from the Shabelle and Jubba regions.
“Moving these explosives into the city requires substantial financial support,” Mahdi said. “Each operation involves payments ranging from $10,000 to $80,000, and the vehicles carrying the bombs pass through at least nine intermediaries before reaching their target.”
Mahdi noted that many traders comply with the extortion demands out of fear of retaliation, but he warned that their payments are directly fueling attacks that harm innocent Somali civilians.
He called on the judiciary to establish special detention centers for businesspeople found guilty of financially supporting terrorist organizations, including Al-Shabaab and ISIS. “Without firm legal consequences, these financial networks will continue to enable deadly attacks,” he added.
Security experts say Al-Shabaab’s reliance on extortion has long been a cornerstone of its funding strategy. Efforts to disrupt the group’s financial networks have intensified in recent years, with Somali authorities conducting raids on businesses suspected of facilitating the militants’ operations. Many believe that cutting off the group’s access to funds is critical to sustaining long-term stability in Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia.
