Somalia has unveiled its first-ever National Counter-IED Strategy, a landmark step in tackling one of the country’s deadliest security threats. The plan, launched in Mogadishu on September 15, has been praised by the United Nations as a major advancement in the fight against improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the weapon of choice for Al-Shabaab militants. The strategy, developed under Somali leadership with international support, shifts the country’s response from reactive bomb disposal to a proactive, intelligence led approach. It builds on a Baseline Assessment completed in February 2023 and brings together military operations, legal reforms, chemical controls, and community engagement into one framework.
National Security Advisor Awes Haji Yusuf Ahmed described the initiative as a “historic milestone,” while Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi outlined concrete steps, including boosting the Somali National Army’s explosive disposal units and improving interagency coordination. Internal Security Minister Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail pledged new laws to regulate chemicals used in bomb making. The urgency of the move is underscored by the toll of IED attacks. In 2024 alone, they caused more than 1,400 casualties, devastating civilians and security forces and hampering development efforts.
The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has already played a critical role, training and equipping 61 army and 21 police explosive ordnance disposal teams since 2021, with funding from Japan. UNMAS also provides policy guidance, technical support, and mentoring to Somali institutions. James Swan, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, called the launch an “important step forward,” stressing that the challenge now lies in sustained implementation. Next steps include the establishment of a National Counter-IED Centre and a dedicated threat monitoring department, aimed at turning the strategy into concrete results on the ground. If fully implemented, officials say the strategy could significantly weaken Al-Shabaab’s most lethal tactic and improve security for millions of Somalis.
