MOGADISHU, Somalia - Al-Shabab assassins have shot dead the father of Colonel Hassan Ali Nur Shute, the chairman of the Somali military court in Mogadishu on Tuesday evening, Garowe Online reports.

The late father - Ali Nur Shute was assassinated inside his house at Bo'le market in the capital's Dharkenley district by two men armed with pistols, according to a witness, speaking to GO over the phone.

Shute was shot several times in the head and chest and sustained critical wounds during the shooting. He has been immediately rushed to hospital but pronounced dead before arrival.

The killers were reported to have managed to escape the scene before the arrival of Police authorities who launched an investigation and manhunt mission in the crime area, but no arrest has been reported.

So far, it's not clear the reasons behind the murder of the late elderly man and the local security officials haven't released any statement regarding the assassination.

The incident coincides with the trials of five Al Shabaab suspects convicted of being behind a truck bombing, Somalia's worst-ever terrorist attack in Mogadishu which left 512 people dead on 14th October 2016.

GAROWE ONLINE