Al-Shabaab takes over privately-owned radio station in Gedo. 2 lawmakers killed in suicide bombing at Somalia cafe where gov’t officials were meeting

Al-Shabaab militants in Gedo region have reportedly taken over an FM radio staion in Bardera town, south-west Somalia.Armed militants entered Radio Markabley compound early on Tuesday and ordered the staffs to vacate and demanded keys to studios and other offices in the compound.The militant group immediately rebranded the station to Radio Andalus, a pro-rebel FM station based in the port city of Kismayo, according to one of the staffs working in the station.The area Al-Shabaab gedoo region  leader Barre Qoje and Hassan Abdirahman Bulley who is said to be one of the pro-rebel Andalus station administrators were leading the armed militants who raided the station.Radio Markabley, was one of the local independent radio station which has been operational in the region for the last five years.The group has been strict on privately owned radio stations in southern Somalia and sometime dictating what to air or not.It has also banned these stations from playing Music and what ever they see to be against their wishes like sports programmes.

2 lawmakers killed in suicide bombing at Somalia cafe where gov’t officials were meeting



Suicide Blast Kills Lawmakers in Galgadud

At least seven people were killed, including two lawmakers, one bodyguard and four civilians, and seven were wounded in a suicide bomb attack in a restaurant of a hotel in Dhusamareeb town, the capital city of Galgadud region, in central Somalia at noon today. The attack targeted a lunch meeting of high ranking Somali lawmakers and politicians from the central regions of Somalia who have been visiting Galgadud over the last three days to discuss setting up a regional administration. Initial reports confirmed that two Somali lawmakers, Yusuf Mirre Seerar and Abdiwali Aw Nohamuud, were killed in the attack. An unconfirmed number of well-known officials, including Ahmed Abdisalaan Haaji Aden, were among those wounded. Guriceel ASWJ governor Osman Isse who spoke to terrorfree somalia said that at least three people were confirmed dead while officials in Galgadud region said seven people were wounded in the attack. Some of the victims are in critical condition, including Ahmed Abdisalan who was rushed to Guriceel district for medical treatment. Officials at the Istarliin hospital in Guriceel told tf.sf  that several wounded officials were brought to the hospital and others are still arriving from Dhusamareeb.“I slam this barbaric attack which killed two Somali lawmakers and I have to place the blame on al-Shabaab because I was told that they claimed the responsibility of the attack," said Somali Prime Minister Abdiwali Mohamed Ali who spoke to VOA Somali Service.Al-Shabaab, a hardline Islamic militant group battling for control of Somalia, has not yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but initial information posted on pro-al-Shabaab websites indicate that Islamist officials are monitoring the casualties figure and will release a statement soon.Dhusamareeb is under control of Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa (ASWJ), a pro-Somali government militia that is fighting against the al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabaab group.“It was a big surprise that an al-Shabaab fighter could dare to use explosives to blow himself up here in Dhusamareeb. We are still investigating this,” said senior ASWJ official who declined to be named.