Somalia: Nearly 100 suspects arrested in Mogadishu security sweep

MOGADISHU, Somalia- At least 100 people were arrested during a security sweep in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Monday in connection with recent assassinations against government officials, Garowe Online reports.

Somali security officers conducted house to house searches in Howlwadag and Wardhigley districts, whereby one hundred young men suspected of having links with Al Shabaab group were arrested.

Capt. Mohamed Hussein, a Somali Police Officer said that 30 suspects out of 100 arrested in the operation are in the custody and the rest were freed after investigation was carried out.

The remaining suspects are being interrogated at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over the murder of an official working for Somalia's Ministry of Finance who was shot dead in drive-by shooting on Sunday.

Hussein added that Monday's operation was aimed to enforce security in the city and apprehend suspected Al Shabaab assassins targeting government officials and civil servants.

Mogadishu has seen an increase of attacks, including targeted assassinations over the past couple of months, as the militant group Al Shabaab intensifying raids to topple the UN-backed Federal Government.

GAROWEONLINE