MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – A senior Somali military commander, who had played a pivotal role in allied forces’ military operations against Al-Shabaab, has been killed in an IED attack on Saturday.
Colonel Yasin Abdi Tohow died in a blast that had targeted his convoy near Gololey village on the road linking Bal’ad with the capital Mogadishu.
Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group Al-Shabaab has said it carried out the attack.
The assassination has sparked criticism against Somalia’s current administration in light of increasing militant attacks targeting security forces and government officials in the Middle Shabelle region.
The highway linking the town of Jowhar, Hirshabelle regional administration’s seat of power, with the capital is mainly under the control of militants and over the past four years, it has been hard for local officials to safely travel on the road.
A number of regional officials, including MPs have been killed while traveling on the strategic road since president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo took office in 2017.
Hirshabelle president Ali Gudlawe sent condolences to the family and friends of the slain army official, and promised that his administration would establish an investigation into his death.
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