On 23 March 2022, al-Shabab militants conducted two suicide bombings in the city of Beledweyne, located near the border with Ethiopia. At least 48 people were killed in the attacks, including a prominent opposition legislator, a former member of parliament and a traditional elder. More than 100 others were wounded; the death toll is likely to rise. Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble described the killing of the parliament member — who was in Beledweyne campaigning for reelection — as “an assassination.” Parliamentary elections are currently underway across the country, and al-Shabab militants have escalated their attacks to coincide with the election period.