Return to Mogadishu is governed by MOJ and Others (Return to Mogadishu) Somalia CG [2014] UKUT 004442, which remains the leading country guidance case for Somali asylum appeals in the UK. The tribunal assesses whether an individual with a particular profile faces a real risk of Article 3 ill-treatment on return to Mogadishu, taking account of clan connections, economic means, personal profile, and current security conditions.
The July 2025 Home Office CPIN on Mogadishu: Al-Shabaab and Security Situation confirms that the Federal Government of Somalia is willing but unable to provide effective protection from Al-Shabaab. Car bomb attacks, assassinations, and clan militia violence remain common. Many parts of the city are effectively controlled by clan militias rather than the government, and ordinary civilians face generalised insecurity even where they are not individually targeted.
Expert witnesses applying the MOJ framework assess clan background and whether the appellant has connections in Mogadishu providing housing, employment, and security. The diaspora remittances test examines whether financial support from abroad can substitute for direct clan presence. Personal profiles including former government officials, journalists, and Al-Shabaab opponents require individual risk assessment beyond the general MOJ finding for ordinary civilians.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mogadishu safe for return?
Al-Shabaab carries out regular attacks in Mogadishu: car bombs and assassinations are common, government officials travel with armed escorts, and many parts of the city are effectively controlled by clan militias rather than the government. The July 2025 CPIN confirmed the state is willing but unable to protect from Al-Shabaab.
What does the MOJ test require for Mogadishu return?
Under MOJ, the tribunal assesses: the individual's clan background and whether they have connections in Mogadishu; their economic status and ability to receive diaspora remittances; their personal profile (former government official, journalist, etc.); and current security conditions.