LAS ANOD — A well known Somali tribal leader and peace activist was killed in the northern Somali enclave of Puntland on Sunday.
Saeed Mohamed Saeed ‘Kashwiito’ was shot Sunday evening as he left Al-Rasheed mosque in the provincial capital Bosasso after evening prayers. Two other activists who were with Mr Kashwiito were also wounded in the incident.
Eyewitnesses in the town said security forces rushed to the scene but the assassinators managed to flee. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the shooting of the sixth tribal leader killed in Puntland in less than two months. In this month alone, more than 20 civilians have fell victim to an ongoing surge of violence in Puntland’s major towns. Most of the victims were targeted as they left prayers or inside mosques.
The Puntland leader, Abdulrahman Farole, blames the al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabab who are battling the weak transitional government of Mogadishu in the south. The vice president, Abdulsalam A. Shire said on Sunday that people fleeing the unrests in Yemen might be behind the killings. He said his government suspects they might have ties with Yemen’s al-Qaeda. About 110 people mostly women and children reached the port of Bosasso in the last three months.
Locals said tensions were high on Sunday night in the town and people were scared to leave their homes. The news comes as parts of Puntland already declared themselves independence from the semi autonomous region.
The newly established Ras-Asayr State in eastern parts of Bari region said on Friday they banned Puntland officials from its territory. It argued its citizens have lost confidence in Puntland over the lack of services and security. Ras-Asayr State claims it has already registered 1,500 police force to serve in the towns of Alula, Ras Asayr, Rako and Kalabeyr. They added uniform and arms have been unloaded in the port of Alula, a town situated at the very extremity of the Horn of Africa.
Ras-Asayr State is part of a growing semi-autonomous regions in Somalia as the war torn nation disintegrates further into mini-states. The growing list so far includes Puntland, Galmudug, Azania, Hiiraanland, Mareeg State, Himan State, South-West Somalia, Rasa-Asayr State and Somali Central State.
Somalilandpress | 24 April 2011
and today he is blaming Alshabaab. he doesn't wanna face the music, that there is an inter-tribal war and power struggle going on infront of his eyes.
