Somalia: Special Forces officer killed in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia - An elite officer attached to the Special Forces team of the Somali police was killed on Sunday under unclear circumstances in the capital, Mogadishu, officials said, adding that investigations have been opened to establish the motive of the murder.

Hanad Ahmed Muse, an officer attached to the Turkish-trained Haramcad Police Unit was found dead in his home in the Moalim Noor neighbourhood in Dharkenley District, Mogadishu where he was staying until his death.

Neighbours and eyewitnesses said the officer was shot by government soldiers, though the motive behind the killing remains unclear. The government’s security agencies have not released an official statement regarding the incident.

Cases of police officers and their counterparts from the army killing each other are common in Somalia, but the government has intensified its crackdown on those found culpable of misuse of firearms. Many officers have been convicted of the offence.

Due to strict actions taken against those misusing firearms, there has been a substantial decrease in cases involving government forces not only in Mogadishu but also across the country. The military has been sentencing offenders.

However, this latest incident has raised concerns about internal security within the government ranks. The government of Somalia is trying to realign its security sectors to meet the basic international standards as recommended by the United Nations.

Elsewhere, residents of Mogadishu reported hearing several explosions on Sunday, initially thought to be blasts; however, they were later identified as tests of heavy weapons conducted by the National Intelligence and Security Agency.

The country received a cache of weapons from Egypt which will be used in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants. Egypt is set to take over the management of the new mission dubbed the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) from January 2025.

GAROWE ONLINE