In a tragic incident on Wednesday night in Beledweyne, unidentified armed men shot a prominent local businessman dead. The victim, Hassan Haji Dahir, was a well-known figure in Beledweyne, the Hiran region’s capital. His sudden and untimely demise has shocked the local community.
Beledweyne, Hiran region, HirShabelle, SOMALIA.
Reports indicate that armed individuals targeted Hassan Haji Dahir, shooting him on the spot before swiftly fleeing from the scene. The motive behind the attack and the identity of the perpetrators remain unknown at this time.
Following the incident, security forces promptly arrived at the scene, initiating an investigation into the brutal killing. Currently, no arrests have been made in connection with the crime. The tragic killing of Hassan Haji Dahir serves as a grim reminder of the need for enhanced security measures and efforts to combat not only terrorist but also criminal activities in the region.
Beledweyne is a central Somali city and the capital of the Hiran region (recently self-proclaimed Hiran State). It lies in the Shebelle Valley riverine near the Ethiopian border.
A recent massive explosion
A massive explosion near one of the city’s checkpoints recently rocked the city, killing at least 21 people and injuring dozens of others. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (SVBIED) blast. However, analysts believe the terrorist group al-Shabaab was behind the attack.
The extremist group is the only entity capable of carrying out such a massive attack despite not claiming responsibility. There seemed to be at least two reasons for that.
First, the explosive-laden truck evidently didn’t reach its intended target. It was stopped in a residential area at a checkpoint and prohibited from proceeding. Secondly, civilian casualties have been very high – at least 21 dead and over a hundred injured. This presented a similar propagandistic challenge for al-Shabaab as with the attack at Zoobe Junction in Mogadishu on 14 October 2017, which claimed so many civilian casualties that al-Shabaab was too embarrassed to claim responsibility.
