killed

Bosaso (AX) — As doom would have it, Abdifatah Nur Mataan, second in command on matters of politics and safeguarding in Beled-Hawo, was swept away after grappling with grievous injuries from a landmine explosion. The town's officious adventurers confirmed his departure. “We were cruising back from Beled-Hawo’s landing strip, minding our own business,” recalled an official who wished to remain nameless, similar to a garden gnome caught in unwarranted chaos. A dire fate unfolded as Mataan's convoy, fresh from airport…

The Foiled Plans of Al-Shabaab's Financial Mastermind: A Close Look at Mire's Fall Mire, the mastermind behind financial operations for al-Shabaab, played a significant role in orchestrating attacks in Kenya and Somalia. This narrative unfolds the gripping tale of his involvement and ultimate demise at the hands of U.S. forces. Setting the Stage: Westgate Tragedy On the fateful day of September 21, 2013, terror struck Nairobi's Westgate Mall when four armed assailants, under Mire's orchestration, launched a brutal assault.…

NAIROBI, Kenya — In an alliance with Somalia’s authorities, the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) declared that it executed a precision airstrike on December 24. This strike claimed the life of Mohamed Mire, also recognized as Abu Abdirahman, a prominent Al-Shabaab figure, along with another insurgent, per AFRICOM’s statement on Monday. The operation unfolded about 10 kilometers southwest of Kunyo Barrow, located in Lower Shabelle, close to Mogadishu, the bustling capital. For a whopping 15 years, Mire had been a central figure…

FILE - In Nairobi, on a heated June day in 2024, Kenyan anti-riot police detained a protester.NAIROBI, KENYA — On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch pointed fingers at Kenyan security forces, accusing them of abducting, torturing, and killing individuals believed to be the masterminds behind anti-government protests from June to August.Reports emerged that these security personnel unlawfully detained abductees in off-the-grid locations like dense forests and deserted buildings, cutting them off from family and legal support.Mary…

Sheik Mohammed Mekin Haji The situation in Ethiopia under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's leadership seems to be spiraling into chaos. Recent incidents in Ethiopia's Oromia region have painted a grim picture. Sheik Mohammed Mekin Haji, an Imam from a mosque in North Shoa's Dera District, has been tragically killed. He was abducted by a militant group along with 12 others from the mosque in Adea Melkie Kebele, within the Dera district. The hostages were reportedly close associates of the Imam. Opposition group, Enat Party,…

Deadly Blast Rocks Mogadishu Amid Foiled Al-Shabaab Plot in Western Somalia MOGADISHU, Somalia - A devastating attack on a bustling teashop in Somalia's capital claimed the lives of seven people on Thursday. Eyewitnesses recounted the dreadful moment a suicide bomber unleashed destruction, targeting an establishment popular with both locals and police. Perched near the General Kaahiye Police Academy, the shop became the grim scene where seven individuals perished instantaneously. The blast left another six gravely injured,…

In Golweyn, a town deep in the Somali heartland, Omar Hassan Warsame was known for his generosity and leadership. His vast farm provided not only a bounty of corn and bananas but also a lifeline for locals, offering jobs and sheltering the community from the harsh seasons. At 65, Omar and his team, up to a dozen strong, busied themselves with tending to their fields. Located in the Lower Shebelle region, about 110 kilometers from Mogadishu, his farm often stood as a beacon of stability against the regular droughts that…

Somalia's Continued Struggle with IEDs: Over 1,500 Lives Impacted MOGADISHU, Somalia - In the past twelve months, more than 1,500 individuals, primarily civilians, have either lost their lives or sustained injuries in Somalia, according to a shocking United Nations report. These tragic events are largely attributed to Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), predominantly used by the notorious Al-Shabaab militants. The United Nations pinpointed how extensively militants have relied on IEDs during this period. James Swan, the…

Folks wander through the wreckage of an Israeli airstrike in a bustling southern district of Beirut, Lebanon, on September 20, 2024 (Reuters/Mohamed Azakir)On Saturday, Hezbollah found itself staggered by an Israeli airstrike that resulted in the loss of two high-ranking members and numerous civilians, deepening apprehensions about a potential full-blown conflict in the Middle East.Hezbollah announced that Ibrahim Akil, a pivotal figure in forming the elite Radwan Force, and Ahmed Wahbi, the mastermind behind Hezbollah’s…

Lebanon's Hezbollah group has confirmed that its top military commander Ibrahim Aqil was killed, calling him "one of its top leaders", without providing further details on his killing. The Israeli military, and a security source in Lebanon, said Ibrahim Aqil was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut targeting an elite Hezbollah unit in the airstrike, sharply escalating the year-long conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed group. In a brief statement carried by Israeli media, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said…