Local Commander and Bodyguards Killed in Qoryoley, Somalia

QORYOLEY, Somalia - The commander of local armed forces in Qoryoley town, Lower Shabelle province, was killed along with two of his bodyguards on Monday, according to sources.

Osman Ali Jiis, the commander, was shot dead in the city, but the exact details behind the attack remain unclear. Authorities have yet to comment on the incident, leaving the motives behind the killing shrouded in mystery.

This latest development comes amid a backdrop of ongoing clan-based clashes in the agriculturally rich town, which local officials had previously managed to resolve through a brokered agreement between the warring factions.

Qoryoley, which lies 120 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu, was recaptured by the Somali army from Al-Shabaab in 2014 following a joint operation with African Union troops. The AU troops are still based in the town, helping local forces with security and maintaining control.

GAROWE ONLINE