On September 3, 2022, militants from al-Shabaab ambushed a civilian bus traveling from Beledweyne to Mahas, in Hiran, Somalia.

[1] The city of Beledweyne, in central Somalia's Hiraan region, has been at the forefront of the civil war between the Somali government and the jihadist group al-Shabaab.

[2] In July 2022, the Somali government launched an offensive against al-Shabaab-controlled areas in Hiraan region, with the aid of the local Ma'awisley militia.

Al-Shabaab's counter to the offensive, per their modus operandi, was using IEDs and other bomb attacks against the Somali army and civilians.

[5] Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stated that the government "strongly condemns the despicable acts of murder against innocent civilians.