Britain believes terrorists are planning attacks in Mogadishu

Britain said on Friday it feared imminent terrorist attacks in the Somali capital Mogadishu, in an update of its advice for travellers to the east African country.


Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) already advises against any travel to any part of Somalia.


"Our advice makes clear that there continues to be a high threat from terrorism and that the FCO believes that terrorists are in the final stages of planning attacks in Mogadishu," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

It gave no further details about who Britain believed might commit the attacks or where its information came from.

Security in Mogadishu has improved since Islamist group al Shabaab fled the city after a military offensive in August 2011. But, bombings and assassinations are still frequent.

On Tuesday, a bomb exploded in Mogadishu outside the headquarters of Somalia's biggest bank, wounding at least two people, hours after members of al Shabaab ordered the company to cease operations in areas under their control.