In a chilling act of violence, al-Shabaab militants killed Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud ‘Duqow’, a former deputy district commissioner responsible for social affairs of the Bal’ad (Balcad) district. The attack occurred in Mogadishu’s Kahda neighbourhood last night. The extremist group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the heinous act.
Kahda, Mogadishu, SOMALIA. By Dalmar:
The murder comes at a time when President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud still oversees the government offensive against al-Shabaab in the Galmudug and HirShabelle states from the city of Dhuusamareeb.
The Kahda district, where the assassination occurred, has been a hotbed of militant activity, making it a particularly dangerous environment for government officials and civilians alike.
Last month, al-Shabaab raided the district. The assault started with an explosion at the police station and was followed by a direct gunfight, killing at least three police officers and wounding others. One police officer was confirmed missing, and several prisoners reportedly escaped from the station.
Al-Shabaab’s assassinations
Al-Shabaab, a radical Islamist group with ties to al-Qaeda, has been responsible for numerous assassinations in the capital. On 19 July, the armed men murdered Fiqi Abdi Mayow, a former deputy commissioner of Awdheegle. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack. The crime occurred near El Gab, in the vicinity of Villa Somalia. The President and other high-level officials often pass through this area when travelling to the Aden Adde International Airport.
“In a planned operation this morning, the Mujahideen forces killed murtad Fiqi Abdi Mayow, who served as the deputy commissioner and head of finance in the Awdheegle district of the Lower Shabelle region,” stated al-Shabaab affiliated media. “Murtad” is a term al-Shabaab uses derogatorily when referring to a person who is supposedly an apostate from Islam.
Persisting assassinations are evidence of al-Shabaab’s ongoing ability to carry out targeted killings within Somalia’s capital, despite the Somali government’s efforts and assurances about the safety of Mogadishu.
