- geographic analysis
- global
- Africa
- Eastern Africa
Somalia
60 cases Global sources
Assassinations in Somalia, a country that has seen a long-standing armed conflict, were highly driven by political motives, which also reflected on the variety of victims. Victims were divided across different target groups, which included members of the judiciary, high-ranking politicians and military officials. Killings of journalists, activists and clan elders were also recorded. Specifically in case of state officials and businesspeople, the figures show a driver usually used by mafia-style groups: extortion. This was due to the taxation system implemented by Al-Shabab, a group that has played a major role in the country’s conflict.
Main statistics
Motive
50 (83%)
Political
Target Group
25 (42%)
Politics & governance
Gender
51 (85%)
Male
Method
28 (47%)
Shot
Number of cases over time
Distribution of case numbers by category
target group
target group
motive
motive
method
method
perpetrator
perpetrator
gender
gender
Explore other country analysis
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database records each assassination (or assassination attempt) as one event. In cases where more than one person (of different gender) was targeted, the database recorded the gender of each targeted victim"}}
Time series
target group
Jan
Feb
target group
Feb-2019
Feb-2019
4 cases
- Criminal justice (1)
- Private sector (1)
- Politics & governance (2)
Mar
target group
Mar-2019
Mar-2019
1 cases
- Politics & governance (1)
Apr
target group
Apr-2019
Apr-2019
3 cases
- Politics & governance (3)
May
target group
May-2019
May-2019
5 cases
- International community (1)
- Private sector (1)
- Security (2)
- Politics & governance (1)
Jun
Jul
target group
Jul-2019
Jul-2019
3 cases
- Security (2)
- Politics & governance (1)
Aug
target group
Aug-2019
Aug-2019
3 cases
- Local community (1)
- Politics & governance (2)
Set
target group
Set-2019
Set-2019
4 cases
- Local community (3)
- Politics & governance (1)
Oct
target group
Oct-2019
Oct-2019
1 cases
- Security (1)
Nov
target group
Nov-2019
Nov-2019
1 cases
- International community (1)
Dec
2019
Jan
target group
Jan-2020
Jan-2020
4 cases
- Local community (1)
- Security (1)
- Politics & governance (2)
Feb
target group
Feb-2020
Feb-2020
5 cases
- Media (1)
- Security (4)
Mar
target group
Mar-2020
Mar-2020
5 cases
- Illicit market (1)
- Criminal justice (1)
- Security (1)
- Politics & governance (2)
Apr
target group
Apr-2020
Apr-2020
3 cases
- Security (3)
May
target group
May-2020
May-2020
6 cases
- Illicit market (1)
- Security (2)
- Politics & governance (3)
Jun
target group
Jun-2020
Jun-2020
4 cases
- Criminal justice (1)
- Security (1)
- Politics & governance (2)
Jul
target group
Jul-2020
Jul-2020
2 cases
- Politics & governance (2)
Aug
target group
Aug-2020
Aug-2020
3 cases
- Private sector (1)
- Local community (1)
- Politics & governance (1)
Set
target group
Set-2020
Set-2020
1 cases
- Private sector (1)
Oct
Nov
target group
Nov-2020
Nov-2020
1 cases
- Politics & governance (1)
Dec
target group
Dec-2020
Dec-2020
1 cases
- Politics & governance (1)
2020
Time series
motive
Jan
Feb
motive
Feb-2019
Feb-2019
4 cases
- Organized crime (1)
- Not reported (1)
- Political (2)
Mar
motive
Mar-2019
Mar-2019
1 cases
- Political (1)
Apr
motive
Apr-2019
Apr-2019
3 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Political (2)
May
motive
May-2019
May-2019
5 cases
- Not reported (2)
- Political (3)
Jun
Jul
motive
Jul-2019
Jul-2019
3 cases
- Political (3)
Aug
motive
Aug-2019
Aug-2019
3 cases
- Political (3)
Set
motive
Set-2019
Set-2019
4 cases
- Political (4)
Oct
motive
Oct-2019
Oct-2019
1 cases
- Political (1)
Nov
motive
Nov-2019
Nov-2019
1 cases
- Political (1)
Dec
2019
Jan
motive
Jan-2020
Jan-2020
4 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Political (3)
Feb
motive
Feb-2020
Feb-2020
5 cases
- Not reported (2)
- Political (3)
Mar
motive
Mar-2020
Mar-2020
5 cases
- Organized crime (1)
- Political (4)
Apr
motive
Apr-2020
Apr-2020
3 cases
- Political (3)
May
motive
May-2020
May-2020
6 cases
- Political (6)
Jun
motive
Jun-2020
Jun-2020
4 cases
- Political (4)
Jul
motive
Jul-2020
Jul-2020
2 cases
- Political (2)
Aug
motive
Aug-2020
Aug-2020
3 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Political (2)
Set
motive
Set-2020
Set-2020
1 cases
- Political (1)
Oct
Nov
motive
Nov-2020
Nov-2020
1 cases
- Political (1)
Dec
motive
Dec-2020
Dec-2020
1 cases
- Political (1)
2020
Time series
method
Jan
Feb
method
Feb-2019
Feb-2019
4 cases
- Bombed (1)
- Shot (3)
Mar
method
Mar-2019
Mar-2019
1 cases
- Shot (1)
Apr
method
Apr-2019
Apr-2019
3 cases
- Bombed (3)
May
method
May-2019
May-2019
5 cases
- Stabbed (1)
- Not reported (2)
- Bombed (1)
- Shot (1)
Jun
Jul
method
Jul-2019
Jul-2019
3 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Bombed (1)
- Shot (1)
Aug
method
Aug-2019
Aug-2019
3 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Bombed (1)
- Shot (1)
Set
method
Set-2019
Set-2019
4 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Shot (3)
Oct
method
Oct-2019
Oct-2019
1 cases
- Shot (1)
Nov
method
Nov-2019
Nov-2019
1 cases
- Shot (1)
Dec
2019
Jan
method
Jan-2020
Jan-2020
4 cases
- Shot (4)
Feb
method
Feb-2020
Feb-2020
5 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Shot (4)
Mar
method
Mar-2020
Mar-2020
5 cases
- Not reported (3)
- Bombed (2)
Apr
method
Apr-2020
Apr-2020
3 cases
- Bombed (1)
- Shot (2)
May
method
May-2020
May-2020
6 cases
- Not reported (2)
- Bombed (3)
- Shot (1)
Jun
method
Jun-2020
Jun-2020
4 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Bombed (1)
- Shot (2)
Jul
method
Jul-2020
Jul-2020
2 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Bombed (1)
Aug
method
Aug-2020
Aug-2020
3 cases
- Shot (3)
Set
method
Set-2020
Set-2020
1 cases
- Bombed (1)
Oct
Nov
method
Nov-2020
Nov-2020
1 cases
- Bombed (1)
Dec
method
Dec-2020
Dec-2020
1 cases
- Bombed (1)
2020
Time series
perpetrator
Jan
Feb
perpetrator
Feb-2019
Feb-2019
4 cases
- Armed group (4)
Mar
perpetrator
Mar-2019
Mar-2019
1 cases
- Armed group (1)
Apr
perpetrator
Apr-2019
Apr-2019
3 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Armed group (2)
May
perpetrator
May-2019
May-2019
5 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Armed group (4)
Jun
Jul
perpetrator
Jul-2019
Jul-2019
3 cases
- Armed group (3)
Aug
perpetrator
Aug-2019
Aug-2019
3 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Armed group (2)
Set
perpetrator
Set-2019
Set-2019
4 cases
- Armed group (4)
Oct
perpetrator
Oct-2019
Oct-2019
1 cases
- Armed group (1)
Nov
perpetrator
Nov-2019
Nov-2019
1 cases
- Not reported (1)
Dec
2019
Jan
perpetrator
Jan-2020
Jan-2020
4 cases
- Not reported (2)
- Armed group (2)
Feb
perpetrator
Feb-2020
Feb-2020
5 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Armed group (4)
Mar
perpetrator
Mar-2020
Mar-2020
5 cases
- Not reported (2)
- Armed group (3)
Apr
perpetrator
Apr-2020
Apr-2020
3 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Armed group (2)
May
perpetrator
May-2020
May-2020
6 cases
- Armed group (6)
Jun
perpetrator
Jun-2020
Jun-2020
4 cases
- Armed group (4)
Jul
perpetrator
Jul-2020
Jul-2020
2 cases
- Armed group (2)
Aug
perpetrator
Aug-2020
Aug-2020
3 cases
- Not reported (3)
Set
perpetrator
Set-2020
Set-2020
1 cases
- Armed group (1)
Oct
Nov
perpetrator
Nov-2020
Nov-2020
1 cases
- Armed group (1)
Dec
perpetrator
Dec-2020
Dec-2020
1 cases
- Armed group (1)
2020
Time series
gender
Jan
Feb
gender
Feb-2019
Feb-2019
4 cases
- Male (4)
Mar
gender
Mar-2019
Mar-2019
1 cases
- Female (1)
Apr
gender
Apr-2019
Apr-2019
3 cases
- Male (3)
May
gender
May-2019
May-2019
5 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Male (4)
Jun
Jul
gender
Jul-2019
Jul-2019
3 cases
- Male (3)
Aug
gender
Aug-2019
Aug-2019
3 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Male (2)
Set
gender
Set-2019
Set-2019
4 cases
- Female (1)
- Male (3)
Oct
gender
Oct-2019
Oct-2019
1 cases
- Male (1)
Nov
gender
Nov-2019
Nov-2019
1 cases
- Female (1)
Dec
2019
Jan
gender
Jan-2020
Jan-2020
4 cases
- Female (1)
- Male (3)
Feb
gender
Feb-2020
Feb-2020
5 cases
- Male (5)
Mar
gender
Mar-2020
Mar-2020
5 cases
- Male (5)
Apr
gender
Apr-2020
Apr-2020
3 cases
- Not reported (2)
- Male (1)
May
gender
May-2020
May-2020
6 cases
- Male (6)
Jun
gender
Jun-2020
Jun-2020
4 cases
- Male (4)
Jul
gender
Jul-2020
Jul-2020
2 cases
- Not reported (1)
- Male (1)
Aug
gender
Aug-2020
Aug-2020
3 cases
- Male (3)
Set
gender
Set-2020
Set-2020
1 cases
- Male (1)
Oct
Nov
gender
Nov-2020
Nov-2020
1 cases
- Male (1)
Dec
gender
Dec-2020
Dec-2020
1 cases
- Male (1)