Sunday January 19, 2025

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali security forces launched an operation on Saturday targeting speakers mounted on auto-rickshaws across Mogadishu after seizing explosives hidden inside speakers in a vehicle.

Police officers were deployed across major streets in the capital, removing speakers commonly installed in auto-rickshaws to play music or other audio for passengers. The operation has sparked complaints from auto-rickshaw drivers, who argue that the speakers are essential for attracting customers.

“We attract passengers with speakers,” said one auto-rickshaw operator. “If the speakers are removed, people won’t choose to ride with us. I urge the security forces to reconsider this decision.”

The crackdown comes in the wake of a recent security incident in which a Probox vehicle equipped with speakers concealing explosives was seized in Mogadishu. Authorities have not provided further details about the incident but have cited it as a justification for the new security measures.