Somalia: Southwest State probes deadly violence in Baidoa city

BAIDOA, Somalia - Somalia's Southwest regional state opened a probe into recent deadly violence in Baidoa city last December which left at least 15 civilians dead, while scores sustained wounds, Garowe Online reports.

In a statement, the newly elected president, Abdulaziz Hassan Mohamed [Lafta Garen] appointed a seven-member committee tasked to investigate the shooting of the protesters on 13th and 15th December ahead of the region's presidential election.

The violent protest was triggered by the arrest of former al-Shabaab deputy leader Mukhtar Robow and a leading candidate running for the state's top seat by Ethiopian troops in Baidoa just days before the presidential vote.

Robow was subsequently transferred to Mogadishu and handed over to the U.S.-funded National Intelligence and Security Agency [NISA]. He is in custody for nearly a month without charges.

Prior to his arrest, Somalia's Security Ministry said some International sanctions are still imposed on the former Al-Shabaab spokesman and hadn’t fully completed the defection process.

GAROWE ONLINE