MISSING CONTEXT: This image of an explosion in Mogadishu is old
The photo of the explosion is from 2021.
This Facebook post with an image claiming to show that a deadly explosion in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on 15 September 2024 is MISSING CONTEXT.
The image depicts several auto-rickshaws and luxury vehicles destroyed at a small roundabout.
The Somali text accompanying the image translates “BREAKING: An explosion has occurred in Mogadishu. The injured people are collecting. There are many civilians lying on the ground. A recent land mine is reported in Kahda district.”
A landmine explosion occurred in Kahda district in Mogadishu on 14 September 2024, as seen here, and here.
To verify the authenticity of the image, the Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) conducted a Google reverse image search and found that the photo has been online since 2021.
The image appeared in a 13 February 2021 article published by Somali National News Agency with the title “Casualties feared in car bomb blast in Somali capital.”
Although an explosion did occur in the capital, the image in question is unrelated to the recent incident.
Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) has examined a Facebook post with an image claiming to show a deadly explosion in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on 15 September 2024 and finds it to be MISSING CONTEXT.
This fact-check was produced by Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) under the African Fact-Checking Incubator programme, with support from PesaCheck, Code for Africa’s fact-checking initiative, and the African Fact-Checking Alliance(AFCA).
