Somalia: Sulfuric acid 'on way to al-Shabaab' seized

By Magdalene Mukami

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) – Nearly 80 tons of sulfuric acid was seized in Somalia on Wednesday, with authorities saying the chemical was being smuggled to the al-Shabaab militant group.

“A total of 79 tons of sulfuric acid have been seized and the individuals who were smuggling it to the al-Shabaab mafia will face the law,” Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said in a statement, without disclosing any more details.

“The investigation is being carried out jointly by NISA and the Anti-Terrorism Partnership.”

Sulfuric acid is one of the industrial chemicals mainly used in the manufacturing of powerful explosives.

The seizure comes on the anniversary of the deadly 2017 truck bomb attack in the capital Mogadishu that claimed nearly 600 lives and left hundreds more injured.

While Somalia has witnessed multiple attacks over the past two decades, the Oct. 14 bombing remains the deadliest terror attack in the country by al-Shabaab, which is affiliated with the al-Qaeda terror group.