Somalia: Puntland intelligence officer killed in Galkayo bomb
29 Apr 29, 2009 - 1:52:59 PM
*Added: Details of incident, number of civilian deaths hits 2
GALKAYO, Somalia Apr 29 (Garowe Online) - At least three people including a senior intelligence official were killed Wednesday in the semiautonomous Somali state of Puntland, Radio Garowe reports.
Yasin Tolwaye, the Puntland Intelligence Service (PIS) chief in Mudug region, died at the scene after a hand grenade was thrown under his vehicle in the central town of Galkayo, witnesses said. Two civilian bystanders were killed in the blast.
A male suspect attempted to jump into a Toyota truck waiting for him but failed, witnesses said. The truck escaped, but the suspect was caught by Puntland security forces, with emerging reports indicating that the suspect was wounded during the course of his arrest.
The suspect fired bullets at the police, thereby wounding an unconfirmed number of civilians, police officials said.
The late Mr. Tolwaye was attacked by suspected insurgents using hand grenades at his Galkayo residence in May 2008. No one died in that attack.
No group has claimed responsibility for the deadly bombing, but Islamist hardliners waging war in south-central Somalia have repeatedly targeted and killed PIS agents since last year.
PIS is the sole intelligence agency operating in Puntland State, reportedly with funding and training support from Western intelligence services.
Earlier this month, Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed "Farole," the new president of Puntland who was elected in January, ordered the PIS to shut down its second office in the port city of Bossaso within a week after citing public complaints.
PIS has not shut down its office in Bossaso yet, but PIS chief Osman "Diana" Abdullahi asked President Farole for an extension period to completely shut down its second office and was approved, government sources said.
I am glad they caught the killer..At least that is something..They will know who is behind these killings...Good Job.
