MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – A bomb scare over a suspect vehicle triggered panic in Somalia’s presidential compound on Thursday amid brewing tensions between the Horn of Africa country’s most powerful leaders.
Somali security forces and African Union peacekeepers manning at one of the gates of the presidential palace alerted to a vehicle belonging to the brother of Somalia’s First Lady Saynab Moalim after two different sniffer dogs showed interest in it.
It turned out to be a false alarm after bomb disposal experts deployed to the scene examined the vehicle and found no explosive device in the car. Sniffer dogs recognized “gunpowder” smell on one of the vehicle’s tyres, according to Dalsan Radio.
The incident came hours after feuding Somali leaders tussled over the expulsion of African Union envoy Francisco Madeira by the Prime Minister, though the move was disapproved by the President who described it as “illegitimate”.
On Tuesday, Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) warned of Al-Shabaab plot to assassinate the President and Prime Minister, in what opposition figures labeled a pretext for takeover of power by Farmajo. Security has been beefed up at the Premier’s office with additional AU peacekeepers and Somali troops deployed following the announcement. read more
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