Sunday May 18, 2025
Ahmed Abdullahi Mahmoud stands tied to a post on the outskirts of Baidoa, Somalia, shortly before his execution by firing squad on May 18, 2025. The South West State authorities carried out the sentence less than 24 hours after Mahmoud was convicted by the Baay Regional Court of fatally shooting 22-year-old Abshir Hassan Abdirahman.
Baidoa (HOL) — Authorities in Somalia’s South West state executed a man by firing squad on Sunday, less than a day after he was convicted of killing a young office worker in Baidoa.
The Bay Regional Court sentenced Ahmed Abdullahi Mahmoud to death after finding him guilty of fatally shooting 22-year-old Abshir Hassan Abdirahman inside his workplace on Saturday morning. The court cited the Islamic principle of Qisas, or retributive justice, in issuing the sentence and moved swiftly to carry out the ruling.
Mahmoud was arrested within hours of the incident and brought before the court later the same day. His execution was conducted on the outskirts of Baidoa and witnessed by South West State Internal Security Minister Farah Ali Omar, senior military commanders, municipal officials, and dozens of residents, including members of the victim’s family.
“South West authorities will not tolerate unlawful killings,” said Interior Ministry spokesman Mohamed Yusuf at the scene. “Anyone who takes a life will face swift justice.”
Somalia’s provisional constitution and penal code allow capital punishment for serious crimes, including murder. While executions are relatively rare, regional courts have occasionally carried them out in cases involving murder or terrorism.
Rights groups have expressed concerns over the pace of such trials, warning that expedited proceedings may undermine due process. However, local officials argue that swift enforcement of justice is necessary to deter violent crime in regions where state control remains fragile and public confidence in the legal system is limited.