BOSSASO, Somalia, February 27, 2015 (Garowe Online)- Unidentified gunmen have attacked the house of a senior Puntland government official , engaging in armed confrontation with his bodyguards on Thursday evening, Garowe Online reports.

Security sources in Bossaso said gunmen armed with machine guns and grenades attacked the house of Abdisamad Mohamed Galan, the governor of Bari region.

The attack lasted more than 30 minutes. One soldier has been confirmed dead in the attack.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the evening raid, however Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab group has long carried out attacks
against Puntland government officials and troops to undermine regionall stability.

Attacks have surged in recent weeks amid an offensive by Puntland to dislodge  Al Shabaabb fighters from  mountainous Hideouts along Golis Ranges.

The pre-planned attack comes at a time when Puntland President  Abdiweli Mohamed Ali and two top anti terror security commanders-deputy police chief Mohiyadin Ahmed Muse and Intelligence agency director Abdi Hassan Hussein are at loggerheads  over a sacking decree.

GAROWEONLINE