12/31/2024
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Officials and elders detained over deadly El-Baraf attack


Sunday December 29, 2024


Somali National Army personnel escort detained officials and elders in El-Baraf district, Middle Shabelle region, following a deadly ambush that claimed the lives of six soldiers and their driver. CREDIT / SONNA


Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali National Army (SNA) forces have apprehended key figures, including local officials and elders, following the brutal ambush that claimed the lives of six soldiers and their driver in El-Baraf, Middle Shabelle. 

The attack, described as a revenge killing, targeted soldiers on leave travelling to their families in Hiiraan. Local sources report that militia fighters ambushed the group, executing the victims, all members of the Hawadle clan, in a calculated assault. Suspicion has mounted over the involvement of district officials, including Governor Yusuf Hassan Hurshow, who has since been suspended for alleged negligence.

In response to the attack, Hirshabelle’s Minister of Interior, Abdi Daahir Gure Karore, announced the suspension of Governor Hurshow and pledged full accountability. “We are tracking all suspects, and no one involved will escape justice,” he declared. Joint operations between federal and Hirshabelle forces have intensified, with several arrests already made.

“The perpetrators are known and will face justice,” warned MP Abdimalik Abdala.

Hirshabelle President Ali Abdullahi Hussein Gudlawe echoed this sentiment, urging calm while security forces pursue those responsible. “I call on our people to remain united. Justice will prevail, and we must not allow our enemies to exploit our divisions,” he stated.

El-Baraf, a district marred by persistent insecurity, has long been a flashpoint for clan-related violence. Rivalries between the Hawadle and Abgaal clans have been weaponized by Al-Shabaab, which seeks to destabilize communities through calculated provocations. In this case, the militants allegedly sought to deepen divisions, recording evidence of the attack to amplify its impact.



 





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