CAPE TOWN — A Somali shopkeeper was shot dead on Sunday in Strand, a coastal town near Cape Town, in the latest in a series of deadly attacks targeting foreign-owned businesses in South Africa.
The victim, identified as Abdullahi Mukhtat Omar, was inside his shop when armed assailants entered and opened fire, according to local sources and community members.
Witnesses said one of the attackers filmed the incident, a disturbing development that residents say reflects a growing trend of gangs recording violent crimes.
Police arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting and have launched an investigation. Authorities have not yet announced any arrests.
Omar is the seventh Somali shopkeeper to be killed in South Africa this month alone. According to community sources, at least 71 Somalis have been killed across the country this month, highlighting the scale of the violence.
Most of the recent attacks have been reported in Cape Town and surrounding areas.
Somali community leaders have expressed alarm over what they describe as a sharp rise in targeted killings and anti-foreigner violence in recent months. Many Somali nationals in South Africa operate small retail shops in townships, where they are often vulnerable to robbery and xenophobic attacks.
South Africa has long struggled with periodic outbreaks of violence against foreign nationals, driven by tensions over jobs, crime, and economic hardship. Rights groups have repeatedly called on the government to strengthen protections for migrant communities and address the root causes of xenophobia.
Police said investigations into the latest killing are ongoing.
