MOGADISHU, (HAN) – Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Saturday officially launched a plan to reopen 52 key roads in Mogadishu, many of which had been sealed off for up to 15 years due to persistent security threats.
The move marks a major shift in the government’s approach to urban security and reflects what officials describe as improved stability in the capital.
“For the past 15 years, roads were closed due to severe security concerns. But the real solution is not in closing roads — it’s in defeating terrorism,” Prime Minister Barre said during the launch ceremony.
He explained that while road closures were once considered necessary to protect civilians from extremist attacks, they are no longer justifiable given visible improvements in the city’s security environment.
“Armed groups are not monsters standing on street corners. They must be confronted and defeated through effective security measures, not by locking down the city,” Barre stressed.
The prime minister also pointed to the “DanQaran” government’s broader efforts to restore stability in Mogadishu, including new legislation aimed at regulating heavy weapons and countering threats to public safety.
Barre extended his gratitude to Somalia’s security agencies, the Benadir regional administration, and the people of Mogadishu for their role in strengthening peace in the capital.
“The safety of our capital is not the government’s job alone — it belongs to all of us,” he said.
According to officials, the reopening process will be phased, with authorities carefully assessing high-risk areas to ensure they are safe before restoring public access.
