MOGADISHU – Al Shabaab Islamist militants shot dead a government official in Mogadishu on Wednesday and, in a separate attack, bombed an African Union troop convoy outside the capital, police and a spokesman for the group said.
Abdifatah Barre, the Deputy District Commissioner of Mogadishu’s Wadajir district, was shot dead in his car.
“Gunmen opened fire on the car of the deputy district commissioner this morning. The official died and the gunmen escaped’’, Maj. Ibrahim Hussein, a police officer, told newsmen.
Report says Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab, which carries out attacks frequently in Somalia and in neighbouring countries, claimed responsibility.
The group wants to impose its strict interpretation of Islamic law in the region and overthrow the Somali Government, which is backed by Western donors and African peacekeepers.
“We killed the deputy district commissioner and we shall continue killing the enemies. This is part of our operation in Mogadishu’’, Sheikh Abdiasis Musab, its military operations spokesman, told newsmen.
The group said an al Shabaab improvised explosive device damaged an armoured vehicle in a convoy of AU peacekeeping vehicles.
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The AU convoy was passing through Elasha town about 16 km north west of Mogadishu when the bomb exploded. (Reuters/NAN)
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