Thursday January 2, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) – A Somali military court has issued arrest warrants for 14 individuals accused of killing six Somali National Army (SNA) soldiers in a clan revenge attack in El-Baraf district, Middle Shabelle region.
The court’s investigative team, comprising five military judges, visited El-Baraf to examine the case. Their findings revealed that the soldiers were on official leave and en route to their families when militia forces ambushed them. The attackers reportedly seized the soldiers’ weapons following the killings.
The victims have been identified as Abdikafi Ali Cabdulle, Bile Xasan Cabdulle Sabriye, Abdi Abdullahi Adan, Farhaan Xasan Ali Cadow, Abshir Hussein Jimcaale, and Muhiyidiin Cabdulle Wehliye.
The judges called on federal and Hirshabelle police forces to apprehend the 14 fugitive suspects, including women, who are believed to be hiding in rural areas of the Middle Shabelle region.
In a related development, traditional elders from the Hawadle and Abgal clans agreed to bury the six soldiers during a high-level meeting in Beledweyne, Hiiraan. The talks were led by Ugaas Yusuf Ugas Hassan and Iman Dahir Iman Omar, with the participation of federal officials, including Petroleum and Minerals Minister Dahir Shire and NISA Director Abdullahi Sambaloolshe.
Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre has pledged swift justice for those responsible, rejecting the possibility of resolving the matter through clan negotiations. The killings underscore ongoing challenges in addressing clan rivalries and ensuring security in Somalia.