GARBAHAREY, (HAN) – An armed group shot dead a local official in the southern Somali town of Garbaharey two days before, in the latest incident highlighting growing insecurity in the Gedo region.
The victim, identified as Abdi Farey, was the head of Towfiq neighborhood in the town and also a respected elder in the local community. However, eyewitnesses reported that the assailants escaped the scene immediately after the attack, and their identities remain unknown.
Security forces in Garbaharey launched a large-scale manhunt on Tuesday morning in an attempt to track down those responsible.
Residents described the killing as a disturbing act that deepens existing fears and insecurity in the district, which has recently witnessed escalating violence.
Garbaharey has seen worsening instability in recent weeks, including heavy clashes between rival groups. Targeted assassinations have also been on the rise across the wider Gedo region, fueled in part by political tensions between Somalia’s Federal Government and the Jubaland administration.
Security analysts warn that unless the security situation improves, local governance and reconciliation efforts in Gedo could face serious setbacks.
