How Al-Shabaab finds NISA informants and executes them in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Al-Qaeda linked group, Al-Shabaab on Monday attacked sleuths working with the National Intelligence and Security Agency [NISA], which is used by top leaders as a tool to coerce and oppress critics and independent media.

Eyewitnesses said the gunmen who are part of the Al-Shabaab hit squad killed four plainclothes NISA agents at the Bundoyinka area of Mogadishu's Waberi district in the latest attack targeting the security agents in the country as the people prepare for elections and the new year.

The gunmen are said to have disappeared to the nearby bushes after unleashing as the security agents launched a manhunt against them. It's now clear if the Al-Shabaab were trailing the agents but in Somalia, security forces are always at risk along with government operatives.

After manning them for a while, Al-Shabaab usually attacks or clash with their targets, and such ambushes are related to deteriorating security in the capital amidst the heavy presence of the security forces in the streets.

In a statement issued on their proxy media sites, Al-Shabaab claimed that the victims were four. The deceased didn't get an opportunity to respond to the fire from the enemy during the ambush and NISA did not immediately give comments on the attack.

The plain-clothed NISA agents exposed themselves to Al-Shabaab assassins in the city after being seen in several videos on social media quelling anti-government protesters and firing live bullets at crowds.

Before the killing, Al-Shabaab's Intelligence wing known as Amniyat seeks information on individuals it hunts, where they live, when they go to work, and the route they regularly use.

For years, Al-Shabaab has tried to get rid of the fragile UN-backed Somalia administration but the security forces have stood their ground. Besides the government officials and security forces, Al-Shabaab often targets innocent civilians or those with links to the government.

There are close to 7,000 active Al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia mostly domiciled in the central and southern parts of the country. Security forces have managed to capture several strategic towns besides killing the militants who have been wreaking havoc in the country for several years.

GAROWE ONLINE