Saturday 22,March 2025 {HMC} Security forces in Baardheere town shot and killed a suspected Al-Shabaab member on Friday evening as he allegedly attempted to carry out an assassination during Iftar, according to local authorities.
District Security Chief Ahmed Abdullahi said the suspect, armed with a pistol, exchanged gunfire with security personnel after being intercepted. He was killed during the confrontation but injured two civilians who were among a group breaking their fast nearby.
“The assailant, whose information we had received, was planning to commit an assassination at a place where civilians were breaking their fast. When he was arrested, he tried to resist with a pistol, and the soldiers neutralized him. Unfortunately, the bullet he fired injured two people,” said Commander Abdullahi.
The injured civilians were taken to Baardheere Hospital for treatment. Authorities have not disclosed the identity of the suspect but confirmed he was linked to the Al-Shabaab militant group.
Commander Abdullahi added that security forces in the district remain vigilant and prepared to counter any threats posed by Al-Shabaab, a group designated as a terrorist organization by Somalia, the United States, the United Nations, and several other countries.
Al-Shabaab has not commented on the incident. The group frequently targets civilians, government officials, and security forces in its insurgency against Somalia’s federal government.
