Islamist commander gunned down in Mogadishu

A senior Islamist military commander close to Sheikh Dahir Aweys, a radical insurgent leader in Somalia was on Tuesday the 9th March shot dead by unknown gunmen in the Somali capital Mogadishu, insurgent officials confirmed. Bare Ali Bare, who was a senior commander with the insurgent group of Hezbul Islam, was shot dead as he walked in the main Bakara market of Mogadishu and the attackers escaped the scene, Ibrahim Bare Mohamoud, an official with Hezbul Islam confirmed to reporters in Mogadishu. “We know that the commander was murdered by gunmen who escaped. We are investigating the killing of Bare Ali Bare,” Mohamoud told reporters.

Bare was critical of the rival Islamist group of Al Shabaab which it fought in a number of southern Somali districts and has been vocal opponent of union between a faction within Hezbul Islam and Al Shabaab. The killing of the Hezbul Islam commander comes only days after another senior military commander from the other insurgent group of Al Shabaab was killed by unknown gunmen in Mogadishu. The two groups had an uneasy relationship since they fought over the control of the strategic of Kismayu which fell for Al Shabaab group following the ouster of the Hezbul Islam fighters late last year.Al Shabaab have accused Hezbul Islam of being behind an number of mysterious explosions in Mogadishu but Hezbul Islam officials have distanced themselves from the bombings that allegedly targeted Al Shabaab military and political officials. The U.S., Canada and Australia have designated Al Shabaab as a terrorist entity and have banned the group from operating in their respective countries. The UK is expected to follow suit soon.

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