Fighting Al-Shabaab: Security boosted in Mogadishu, key Somali cities ahead of Eid

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02:39

Security has been stepped up in major cities around Somalia ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid. Key roads have been blocked after Al-Shabaab carried out more than two dozen attacks in the capital of Mogadishu. CGTN's Abdulaziz Billow has the latest.

The lockdown affected transport in key roads within the capital Mogadishu.

Fears are high that the al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group will seek to carry out an attack on the capital.

Meanwhile, heavily armed security personnel patrolled the streets of the capital, while some main junctions were blocked off with concrete blasts.

Business was also affected in the country's biggest market - as thousands prepare for the Muslim holiday of Eid due to be celebrated at the end of the week.

"The closure of the roads is a big loss for rickshaw drivers - key intersections remain under lockdown. We can only move in specific areas."

"I missed my exams because the road to my university was blocked off. I arrived late and the exam was already underway."

The president was forced to intervene - urging his security chiefs to boost security and at the same time allow the more than two million city residents to move freely.

ABDULAZIZ BILLOW MOGADISHU, SOMALIA "Since the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, militant group Al-Shabaab has carried out deadly killings in the city - including a brazen attack near Mogadishu that killed two regional lawmakers - prompting authorities to enforce tough new security measures."

Elsewhere - government forces say they foiled a deadly attack on Saturday near a military base on the outskirts of Kismayo - some 500 km southwest of Mogadishu.

Regional forces fired on the explosive laden vehicle killing two militants before it detonated outside the base - on Friday - Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the killing of a U.S soldier near Sanguni village and injuring four other - after the forces came under attack outside Kismayo.

According to the U.S Africa Command - the forces came under fire as they assisted a large force of Somali and African Union troops to establish a permanent combat post in the region.

The soldier's identity has not yet been released publicly, but he is the second member of the US military to have been killed in Somalia since 2017.

HASSAN SHEIKH ALI DEFENSE ANALYST "Washington was fully aware that Somalia is an active area of hostilities - for that reason - the death of the soldier will not affect the operations of the U.S military. Its basic knowledge, any foreign force before coming to Somalia is fully aware that it might loose its troops."

For now - government forces are not taking any chances - and as Muslims gear up to celebrate the end of the fasting period - the government has urged the public to support security forces in foiling militant attacks. AB, CGTN, MOG, SOM