Somalia: Youth activist killed by armed assailants in Puntland

Published: February 2, 2010

Armed assailants murdered a well known youth activist in the autonomous region of Puntland State of Somalia, on Saturday.
Abdullahi Mahdi Sayidka, was the chairman of the Somali Student Connection Organisation (SSCO) based in Bosaso, the commercial capital of Puntland.

Abdullahi Mahdi Sayidka

Abdullahi Mahdi was shot several times near Hotel Sahafi in Bosaso. No one was arrested for the killing.
Tribe elders, youth organization and regional leaders condemned the killing of Abdullahi Mahdi Sayid, who was remembered for his active campaigns for peace and socials issues.
On Sunday, again armed men in Bosaso targeted the home of well known politician Ibrahim Artan Haji Bakin, the former Deputy interior minister of Puntland. Three people were wounded in the attack, including Haji Bakin, relatives say he sustained minor injuries.
Bosaso, the largest city in Puntland have seen more violence, this year.
Last month, two Puntland MP’s were killed in the city, the third one escaped attempted assassination. So far, no group has claimed these attacks in one of the busiest cities in Somalia.
The authorities have so far arrested more than 8 people, who are linked with the latest insecurity.
Last week, two of the detained people, were sentenced to death by the Bosaso district court, for the assassination of the two MPs. The third suspect was also sentenced to death for the killing of Bosaso district court Judge Mohamed Aware, who was killed in Bosaso late 2009.
But relatives of the sentenced men, have refused to accept the court’s decision accusing the Prosecutor for being biased.
Most of the detained people belong to same clan, sources close to the Police, say the recent upsurge of voidance in Bosaso are aimed to undermine Puntland authority.
Some poeple in Bosaso, blame a radical cleric named Sheikh Mohamed Atam based in the mountainous village of Galgala, 55km west of Bosaso, for being behind the voilance in the region. Tribe leaders in Galgala village, rebuffed the allegation and called for the religious leaders to intervene.
Hussein Farah
Horseed Media

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