Jowhar, 03 August 2025 — Officials from Hirshabelle State narrowly escaped a car bomb attack in Jowhar on Tuesday. The incident occurred shortly after the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of Hirshabelle State and his team welcomed a delegation from the Federal Government of Somalia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs at Mohamed Dhere Airport.
The federal delegation was visiting Jowhar for the second time since the launch of the CSSP II Program, an initiative designed to support pregnant and lactating women by providing essential resources and assistance to promote maternal and child health.
In a statement to the media, the Hirshabelle Minister of Labour and Social Affairs confirmed that all members of the delegation survived the attack without injuries, describing it as a “cowardly act” perpetrated by the Al-Shabaab militant group.
The delegation’s mission was to conduct a mid-term review of the CSSP II Program in Jalalaqsi, Hirshabelle State. Among those who survived the explosion were the project manager and Mr Hussein Idow Ali, Communication Advisor and Senior Advisor to the Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs.
No casualties were reported, although Al-Shabaab has repeatedly targeted Somali government officials and their international partners in similar attacks.
