Thursday January 30, 2020
MOGADISHU (HOL) - CCTV cameras along Mogadishu’s Maka al Mukarama street and Debka Junction near Somali parliament were destroyed Thursday morning under mysterious circumstances.
Sources told HOL there were heavy explosions at about 5am local time and in its wake three cameras located at Debka Junction were destroyed while the fourth one installed close to Maka al Mukarama Hotel was also vandalized.
Debka area where most of the cameras were destroyed is about 700 metres to the Lower House building.
The Presidential Palace is also located near the Lower House.
The government installed the cameras mid-December in a move to counter terror attacks through intelligence gathering.
Mogadishu residents then hailed the installation of the cameras as a positive step in the war against Al-Shabaab but concerns remained how much the cameras would deliver in the fight against the militant group.
The destruction of the cameras came barely hours security forces in Mogadishu uncovered bombing making devices in the city.
Al-Shabaab militants drove into SYL hotel which is opposite the presidential palace December 10 using a military branded vehicle and clad in military wear evading security checks before storming into the hotel killing five people.
No group has claimed responsibility for the destruction of the cameras.