Somali government bans carrying heavy weapons in Mogadishu

The Somali government has issued an ultimatum to the military soldiers based in the outskirt of the capital city not to carry heavy weapons inside the city's streets.

The country's Security ministry said the Somali National Army (SNA) soldiers from Middle and Lower regions have been directed not to enter the capital with their weapons. 

 Mohamed Abukar Islow, minister for Security noted that his ministry held talks with top commanders of the Defence forces on the issue to ban heavy weapons in the town.

" We want to inform the military soldiers to leave their heavy weapons at their baracks when they are heading to the capital city.  We don't want to see soldiers carrying weapons like machine guns, rocket launchers, motors, those mounted on vehicles like Landcruisers, which can turn the image of the capital like battlefields," said Islow.

The directive of the ministry comes a day after twin bomb blasts killed over 25 people in Mogadishu.

Last year, Somali cabinet passed a directive allowing government officials not more than four bodyguards with 4 AK47 riffles.

A day after the directive, Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheire vowed his government would enforce the ultimatum to reduce the number of the heavy weapons in the city.

The proliferation of weapons in the capital city has seen a rise in the number of the assassinations and clashes between armed forces.