The Somali government said it is aware of social media platforms and individuals involved in spreading false information that is intended to disrupt Somali security, especially when it comes to mortar attacks on Mogadishu.
A statement from the Ministry of Information noted that the latest false incident was related to a mortar attack targeting parts of Mogadishu by Al-Shabaab, and warned against spreading unverified information on social media.
The ministry also revealed that pro-Al-Shabaab media outlets and individuals using social media who did not verify the facts had spread unverified information stating that the attack targeted the Halane Camp and parts of Mogadishu Airport, killing several foreigners, a completely false and exaggerated claim.
“Al-Shabaab has carried out indiscriminate attacks that have targeted civilians in Mogadishu, using mortars fired indiscriminately, often resulting in civilian casualties, including children who were on their way to a Quranic school weeks ago, who were killed and injured,” the ministry said in a statement.
Finally, the ministry noted that the Federal Government of Somalia is closely monitoring individuals involved in spreading fake news and Al-Shabaab propaganda, who are directly or indirectly contributing to disrupting public security, both domestically and internationally.
