Earlier today, a suspected al-Shabaab hitman assassinated a prominent businessman in Mogadishu’s Hodan district. The victim’s name is Isaaq Aden Ali (also known as Isaaq Garoow). Security forces captured the gunman shortly after the homicide.
Taleh, Hodan District, Mogadishu, SOMALIA. By Dalmar:
The deceased was reportedly the brother of the former governor of the Lower Shabelle region, Ibrahim Aden Ali Najah. The reason behind the killing remains unknown.
The Somali Digest interviewed locals who said the Eritrea-trained soldiers caught the suspect shortly after the murder when passing by the area. The suspect was shot and wounded as he tried to escape. It is believed that he belongs to al-Shabaab.
The militant group has been known for conducting targeted killings of the same pattern in the capital. They are typically quick to claim responsibility; however, in this case, the perpetrator was captured, which can be the reason why the group has not claimed the attack.
Thursday attack in Darul Salaam
On Thursday, an improvised explosive device (IED) blast shook the capital’s Darul Salaam neighbourhood, reportedly killing five soldiers and injuring others. The victims were aboard the vehicle when the IED went off. The blast injured several soldiers and civilians passing by the incident. Al-Shabaab swiftly claimed responsibility for the attack.
The group’s media channels released a statement asserting their intent to target government soldiers, boasting about the destruction caused. “The officers of the Mujahideen forces confirmed that five apostate soldiers were killed in the explosion, including a high-ranking officer named Abdihamid. Six other soldiers were injured, while the car involved in the explosion was also destroyed,” al-Shabaab’s media outlets reported.
Although al-Shabaab has been driven out of major urban centres in Somalia, the group still wields influence and maintains control over vast rural areas. It continues to carry out attacks, ambushes, and assassinations against security forces and civilians, including within the capital city.
