Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali Correctional Service Commander Gen. Mahad Abdirahman Shub escaped an apparent drone strike on his residence in Doolow district, Gedo region, on Thursday night, according to local sources and Jubaland officials.
The reported attack took place at around 11:40 p.m., when a missile hit the compound where Shub was staying.
- Advertisement -
Sources in Doolow who said they were near the scene reported that the missile struck outside the house, while Shub was inside a fortified section of the residence.
Shub and several others with him sustained minor injuries, the sources said.
He was subsequently taken to a medical facility in Doolow. Reports said arrangements were being made to transfer him to Dolo, Ethiopia, for additional treatment.
Jubaland authorities blamed Turkish drones for the attack, alleging that Shub was targeted because of his political differences with Somalia’s federal government.
“This barbaric attack directly targeted the house of the former Commander of the Federal Government Correctional Service Mahad Abdirahman Aden, who was targeted by the Federal Government and Turkey solely because of his political differences,” Jubaland said in a statement.
The regional administration said the aircraft fired two missiles, one of which struck the residence of the Doolow district governor.
Jubaland reported that Shub and four civilians were wounded.
“The city of Doolow, which has been free from insecurity for the past several decades, was hit by missiles in the middle of the night, causing harm to innocent people,” the statement said.
Jubaland condemned the incident as a war crime and demanded accountability from what it called the outgoing federal administration and the Turkish government.
It accused Türkiye of permitting its aircraft to be used against individuals who hold opposing political positions.
The administration urged the United Nations, African Union, IGAD, the United States and the European Union to investigate Türkiye’s conduct in Somalia, arguing that its actions do not serve the interests of the Somali people or the broader region.
Jubaland also asked the United Nations to urgently reconsider its decision to lift the arms embargo on Somalia, saying weapons delivered to the country must remain under the control of responsible and trusted authorities.
It said the strike could undermine Türkiye’s role as a mediator in Somalia’s internal political disputes because Ankara had, in its view, demonstrated support for one side.
The identity of those responsible for the strike remains unclear.
Somalia’s federal government has not issued a response to the allegations.
MP Abdirahman Odawaa denounced the airstrike, saying that any federal government involvement could constitute an unlawful act and pose a threat to Somalia’s sovereignty.
He also cautioned that the incident could intensify political tensions and widen the divide among parties involved in Somalia’s political disputes.
Former State Minister for Environment and Climate Change Aden Aw Hirsi said that confirmation that Villa Somalia planned the strike and used foreign aircraft would set a dangerous precedent.
He warned that a future Somali regional administration could attempt to deploy foreign aircraft against an embassy in Mogadishu or locations inhabited by Somali civilians.
Shub is regarded as a close ally of former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, whose forces attacked Baidoa on Thursday morning.
Earlier, South West State’s Council of Ministers declared forces loyal to Laftagareen a terrorist group, alleging that they had joined al-Shabab.
Laftagareen rejected the designation, insisting that his supporters have no ties to al-Shabab and accusing the federal government and South West authorities of politicizing the security situation.
Baidoa, located about 245 kilometers northwest of Mogadishu, is a major humanitarian hub that hosts more than half a million people displaced by conflict and drought.
