Fast. Reliable. Free.
Made for travelers, by travelers
Somalia · Safety report last updated
As of October 2026, Mogadishu scores 18/100 on the IsMyTripSafe composite safety index — verdict: elevated risk — reconsider. No. Mogadishu remains extremely dangerous for visitors due to ongoing terrorism, armed conflict, and kidnapping risks. The main risks for visitors are pickpocketing (high risk) and robbery (severe risk). The U.S. State Department rates it Level 4 (Do Not Travel).
Safety Report
IsMyTripSafe.com
Somalia · Assessed 20 October 2026
18
/ 100
Safer than ~6% of countries
Score capped at 20 — Level 4 advisory — "Do Not Travel". No other indicator can raise the score above this.
What drives this score
01 · Official Guidance
Do Not Travel
“Do not travelto Somalia due to risk of crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest, health, landmines, systematic mistreatment of women, systematic mistreatment of gay and lesbian individuals, piracy, abuse of residents in rehabilitation centers, and confiscation of passports by family members. Do not travel to Somalia for any reason.”
Updated Thu, 21 May 2026
Full advisory →Advises against all travel to parts of the country
“Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). Areas where FCDO advises against travel Parts of Somalia, including Somaliland FCDO advises against all travel to Somalia, including Somaliland, except for the regions of Awdal, Maroodijeh, and Sahil.”
Updated 2026-10-07T10:16:15Z
Full advisory →Avoid all travel
“Canada's official risk level for Somalia: avoid all travel.”
Updated 2026-10-15T08:42:29.5111915-04:00
Full advisory →02 · Evidence Signals
Urban scale factor
City SignalCity Geocoding
Robbery / mugging
SevereArmed robbery and carjacking are common, especially at night and in less-patrolled districts; foreigners are targeted for kidnapping and ransom
Pickpocketing
HighPickpocketing and bag-snatching occur in crowded areas such as Bakara Market and near Aden Adde International Airport
03 · Environment
04 · Institutions
05 · Field Research
Traveller sentiment score
Extremely negative
19/100
Visitor reports indicate profound fear for personal safety, with most describing Mogadishu as unsuitable for tourism due to violence and instability; any positive sentiment is limited to those under armed escort in fortified zones
No. Mogadishu remains extremely dangerous for visitors due to ongoing terrorism, armed conflict, and kidnapping risks.
Government advisories uniformly warn against all travel to Somalia, including Mogadishu, citing terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, and human rights abuses. The city experiences frequent militant attacks, particularly targeting foreigners and government sites, with Al-Shabaab active in and around the capital. While air quality and extreme weather pose minimal risks, the security environment is hostile and unpredictable.
Recent developments
Common scams
Full briefing
No. Mogadishu remains extremely dangerous for visitors due to ongoing terrorism, armed conflict, and kidnapping risks. Government advisories from the U.S., UK, and Canada all warn against all travel to Somalia, citing terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, landmines, and systematic human rights abuses. Al-Shabaab continues to carry out attacks in and around the capital, including rocket fire on Aden Adde International Airport as recently as March 2026 and suicide bombings near military bases. Street-level crime such as armed robbery, carjacking, and pickpocketing is widespread, with foreigners specifically targeted for kidnapping and ransom in areas like Bakara Market and near the airport. Recent clashes in June 2026 between government forces and opposition militias led to gunfire in the city ahead of planned protests, underscoring the volatility of the security situation. While air quality is good and extreme weather poses little risk, the environment is hostile to independent travel. Visitor sentiment is overwhelmingly negative, with those who do travel reporting movement only under armed escort in fortified zones. Scams involving visa fraud and human trafficking networks have been documented, with hundreds of victims coming forward in 2026. Any travel to Mogadishu should be avoided entirely; if movement is unavoidable, travelers must use accredited security providers, avoid public gatherings and government buildings, and rely on embassy alerts for real-time updates. The city is not suitable for tourism under any circumstances.
Was this Mogadishu, Somalia report helpful?
06 · Neighbourhoods
Our field research rated 8 Mogadishu districts for visitors: 2 safer, 3 needing caution and 3 best avoided. See them plotted on the Mogadishu safety map.
HamarweyneavoidOld city core with frequent militant attacks and clan clashes; high risk of IEDs and gunfire.
ShingaaniavoidKnown for Al-Shabaab activity, kidnappings, and armed robberies targeting foreigners.
Lido BeachavoidHistory of mass-casualty attacks (e.g., 2024 bombing); remains a militant target despite reconstruction.
WardhigleycautionResidential area with intermittent violence; avoid after dark due to robbery and clan tensions.
HodancautionMixed security; checkpoints common, but occasional clashes and extortion reported near markets.
KM4cautionCommercial hub with petty crime and scams; avoid isolated areas and night travel.
AbdulazizsaferHeavily fortified zone around Aden Adde International Airport and government buildings; lowest risk for short stays.
Villa SomaliasaferPresidential compound with elite security; accessible only with authorization, but very low threat inside perimeter.
07 · After Dark
Armed robbery and carjacking are common, especially at night and in less-patrolled districts; foreigners are targeted for kidnapping and ransom
After dark, be most careful around Hamarweyne, Shingaani, Lido Beach, Wardhigley. Stick to busy, well-lit streets and licensed taxis or ride-hail late at night.
08 · Questions
No. Mogadishu remains extremely dangerous for visitors due to ongoing terrorism, armed conflict, and kidnapping risks. Government advisories uniformly warn against all travel to Somalia, including Mogadishu, citing terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, and human rights abuses. The city experiences frequent militant attacks, particularly targeting foreigners and government sites, with Al-Shabaab active in and around the capital. While air quality and extreme weather pose minimal risks, the security environment is hostile and unpredictable. (Assessed 20 October 2026.)
Safety is not one number, and this Mogadishu report does not pretend it is: the score is re-weighted for who is travelling. A woman travelling alone, a family with children and a solo backpacker face different street-level risks, so the headline score shifts and the report leads with the findings that matter for that group. Personalize this report in one click to see the 2026 score and safety briefing for your specific travellers.
Field research flags Hamarweyne, Shingaani, Lido Beach as best avoided. See the district-by-district safety map.
Mogadishu ranks #3 of 4 Somalia destinations we've assessed, scoring 18/100. See the Somalia safety overview for the full list.
The score blends 10+ public data sources — government advisories, UNODC/World Bank crime statistics, FBI crime data for U.S. cities, WHO health data, live air quality and disaster alerts — with AI field research over current local reporting. The databases carry the bulk of the weight; the traveller-sentiment score from field research carries the rest. Full methodology.
Keep exploring
Raw data: mogadishu.json (CC BY 4.0).
