2014 Villa Somalia Attack

On 21 February 2014, militants from the armed group Al-Shabaab carried out a surprise assault on Villa Somalia, the presidential palace compound in Mogadishu that serves as the residence and office of the Somali president and the speaker of parliament. The attack involved nine militants traveling in three vehicles who were dressed in guard uniforms and red berets matching those worn by palace security personnel, allowing them to talk their way through the outer security perimeter.

Once inside the outer perimeter, one of the vehicles — rigged with a suicide bomb — was detonated at the compound gate, blasting an entryway into the palace grounds. Two suicide bombers were killed in this initial blast. The remaining seven militants dismounted from their vehicles and engaged in an intensive shootout with palace guards. A senior official cited in the account stated that all of the militants ultimately died, some by detonating explosives on themselves and others from gunfire during the exchange.

The assault was reportedly aimed at government officials who were praying at the compound's mosque. Somali government forces, reinforced by troops from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), eventually overwhelmed the attackers. Government casualties were estimated at five palace guards, including Gen. Mohamed Nur Shirbow, the deputy intelligence chief of the Somali Army, and Mohamed Abdulle, described as a close aide to the prime minister. Additional Somali soldiers were also reported killed in the fighting. All nine attackers were killed in the incident.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was reported unharmed, as was the prime minister. Following the attack, Somalia's Interior Ministry held a press conference in front of the palace at which the bodies of seven of the attackers were displayed publicly.