Suspicion of Al-Shabaab Infiltration in Somali Army After Colonel Nur Farey's Fatal Shooting

MOGADISHU, Somalia - After hours of speculation, it has now emerged that Colonel Nur Farey was killed by a gunman who was not a member of the Somali National Army (SNA) but was with the soldiers at the time of the tragedy, raising concerns of possible Al-Shabaab infiltration in the national forces.

Initial reports carried out show the killer was not a member of any unit and that the gun he used was foreign to the national army. And now, questions are being asked about how he managed to mix with soldiers and who may have facilitated the plot.

Several people including soldiers are being investigated, officials say, with preliminary investigations showing Al-Shabaab militants may have infiltrated the army, leading to the tragic death of Colonel Nur Farey, a senior officer within the military.

This comes just hours after former Somali National Army Commander General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyiddin raised concerns about possible infiltration of the al-Shabaab in various fighting units of the national forces, consequently, diluting the credibility.

“We are in a difficult time where there is no clear distinction between the enemy and the army. The enemy is hiding within the ranks of the army in every form,” said Gen. Muhyiddin, calling the killing of the commander both regrettable and a sign of institutional neglect.

According to him, it was suspicious that Nur sidelined his bodyguards during the trip to the occasion before his death at Ado-Diidible between Afgooye and Laanta Buure. He was known for his trust in his troops.

Despite raising concerns about infiltration, Muhyiddin clarified that it remains unclear whether the shooter was a member of the Somali army or an al-Shabaab infiltrator in military uniform.

Nur was killed by a man wearing a military uniform in the Addow Dibille area near Afgoye town, on Saturday, leading to a national outcry.

The commander of the 14th brigade Colonel Nur Farey was addressing soldiers when a man shouting a word repeatedly approached and fired shots, fatally injuring him. Farey was leading mobilizations aimed at recapturing Awdhegle town from al-Shabaab, an official says.

The 14th October Brigade was created in memory of the victims of the single deadliest terrorist attack in Africa, at Mogadishu’s K-5 junction which killed and injured 1000 people on October 14, 2017. The death has caused anxiety within the government which is actively leading the crackdown against al-Shabaab militants.

GAROWE ONLINE