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Somalia forms probe team over ‘attempts’ to kill ex-presidents

Storyline:National News

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: A team of former senior police, military and intelligence officials will investigate the alleged assassination attempts of former presidents Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, a meeting between Prime Minister Mohamed Roble and opposition chiefs has resolved.

According to a statement from the meeting which brought together 15 presidential candidates and Roble, the team will be tasked with investigating the role of security forces on the night of February 19 and the following day. The Council of Presidential Candidates (CPC) has accused outgoing President Mohamed Farmaajo of attempts to kill opposition leaders using security forces.

INDISCRIMINATE FIRING

According to the CPC, the two former presidents who are also candidates in the upcoming elections were attacked by government forces at a hotel in downtown Mogadishu ahead of planned protests on February 19. Security forces were also captured on camera indiscriminately firing at protestors led by former prime minister Hassan Khaire and Wadajir party leader Abdirahman Abdishakur near along airport road in Mogadishu.

The team consists of former prisons commissioner General Bashir Mohamed Jama Goobbe who now heads the Somali Agency for Construction and Development, former intelligence director Brigadier General Abdirahman Mohamud Tuuryare and former Somali National Army deputy chief Brigadier General Mohamed Ali Barise.

Others are Col. Mohamed Abdulkadir Haji, Yassin Abdullahi Mohamud Hussein Maalim Mohamud. The timeframe of the investigations was not disclosed in the statement.

The meeting also formed another committee to oversee the planned protests by the opposition set for March 6, in Mogadishu. The team comprises of:

  1. Minister of Internal Security of the FGS Hassan Hundubay Jim’ale
  2. Governor of Benadir Region and Mayor of Mogadishu Omar Mohamud Mohamed (Filish)
  3. FGS Deputy Minister of Information Abdirahman Yusuf Omar
  4. Presidential candidate Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame
  5. Presidential candidate Dahir Mohamud Guelleh
  6. Presidential Candidate Mustaf Sheikh Ali Duhulow
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