Former President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud survives assassination in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Former President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud survived an assassination on Wednesday evening, his aides said, in what could further deteriorate the relationship between the federal government and the opposition, who recently signed a pre-election pact.

Eyewitnesses said the former president's convoy came under attack from government troops stationed at Hamarweyne district in Mogadishu, not far from the former Head of State's residence in the Somali capital.

The forces, probably drawn from the Somali National Army [SNA], witnesses added, fired live bullets at the convoy of the former president. It was not clear why the troops fired at the convoy but it's believed that they targeted the former leader.

Reports from the former president's staff indicate that he's "safe" and that he arrived at his residences. The ex-president's bodyguards did not respond to the shooting, which resulted in no casualties, police told reporters in the capital.

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was the eighth president of the federal republic of Somalia. He handed powers to President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, whose term ended in February this year and had been under persistent pressure to resign.

But last week, Farmajo led other former leaders and presidents of federal states to sign a pre-election pact that would see the country hold elections within the next two months. Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble will steer the process, the agreement noted.

Somali officials have since confirmed government forces were involved in the shooting of a convoy carrying President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Mogadishu. Justice Minister Abdulkadir M Nur said the shooting was “accidental” and “unintentional”. He apologised to the former President.

PM Mohamed Roble has been called to probe into "an assassination" bid against ex-president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Mogadishu. Former security minister Abdirizak Mohamed termed the shooting "unacceptable provocation".

"The PM Mohamed Roble must investigate the assassination attempt against the ex-president Hassan Mohamud. This happened 40 minutes ago. I myself was travelling with the president along with the former chief of NISA Sanbalolshe. This is an unacceptable provocation against the president," he said.

Attacks against the former leaders are synonymous in Somalia. A couple of months ago, security forces tried to block Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's residence in the middle of the pre-election standoff but the government issued an apology later on.

Spy Chief Fahad Yasin, a former Al-Jazeera journalist, has often been accused of plotting such attacks. However, the government has always insisted that it's keen to protect the former leaders as stipulated in the law and security protocols.

GAROWE ONLINE