Clan militia forces attacked the airport in Dolow district on Monday, killing four people, including the airport security commander, and injuring three others. The assailants aimed to prevent Major Abdullahi Mohamed Osoble from leaving the airport. Major Osoble had been leading a terror-related investigation, which resulted in the death of Aden Gara’ Habarwa during interrogation.
Habarwa and two others were suspected of being involved in the assassination of Mohamed Aweys, commander of the Somali armed forces’ 28th battalion, who was killed in an explosion on February 18 in the Beled Hawo district. Habarwa was the only civilian suspect of the trio.
Although officials from the military court, intelligence, and Gorgor were at the airport during the attack, it is unclear if they were among the dead or injured. Jubbaland regional lawmaker Mustaf Mamow Geddi confirmed that the district’s deputy intelligence chief was among the wounded.
General Jamal Hassan Sareey, the NISA Commander for the Gedo region, stated that the military court had launched the assassination case on Sunday. The chairman of the Somali National Armed Forces military court, Major Hassan Ali Nur Shute, arrived in Dolow last week, demanding additional evidence regarding Mohamed Aweys’ assassination.
According to reports, the military court had planned to move Major Abdullahi Mohamed Osoble’s case to Mogadishu. However, the clan militia forces attempted to kill him in the district before he departed.