Maravi

(DAILY TIMES PK) Riots in Kenya after Somali Shabab member assassinated

Riots in Kenya after Somali Shabab member assassinated
Tuesday, August 28, 2012

MOMBASA: Deadly riots broke out in Kenya’s main port of Mombasa on Monday after the assassination of a radical cleric linked to Somalia’s al Qaeda-allied Shabab militants.

At least one person was hacked to death as thousands of angry protestors took to the streets after Aboud Rogo Mohammed — who was on US and UN sanction lists for allegedly supporting the Shabab — was shot dead.

“A car behind us aimed at my husband, they shot him on the right side,” said his widow Haniya Said, screaming in grief after the killing by unknown attackers. “One person has been killed, he was slashed to death during the protests,” said regional police chief Aggrey Adoli.

Cars were set on fire and two churches were looted in the city — Kenya’s main port and a key tourist hub — according to an AFP reporter. “There is chaos in town now, and our officers are on the ground dispersing the rioters to maintain peace,” added Adoli. “They are demonstrating against the killing of Aboud Rogo, who was shot by unknown people.”

Witnesses said that Mohammed’s car was riddled with bullets, and a photograph released by his supporters showed his bloody corpse slumped behind the wheel of a car.

“He died as we rushed him to hospital. Why have they killed my dear husband?” his widow added, before she and her children were taken to the hospital. Mohammed was placed on a US sanctions list in July for “engaging in acts that directly or indirectly threaten the peace, security or stability of Somalia”, specifically for recruiting and fundraising for the hardline Shabab.

The United Nations Security Council placed a travel ban and asset freeze on the cleric in July, saying he had provided “financial, material, logistical or technical support to al-Shabab”.

He was the “main ideological leader” of Kenya’s Al Hijra group, also known as the Muslim Youth Center (MYC), the UN said.

African Union and Somali troops captured the key port of Marka from al Qaeda-linked Shabab insurgents on Monday, the latest in a string of bases to be wrested off the extremists, officials said.

“We have taken Marka, we entered alongside the Somali government forces Monday morning,” said Colonel Ali Houmed, the spokesman for the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM). “There was some fighting, but not so heavy, most of the Shabab had fled.” The loss of Marka, some 70 kilometres (45 miles) south of the capital Mogadishu, is another major blow for the insurgents, who have been on the back foot for several months. AU and Somali troops have made significant gains in recent months against Shabab, although they remain a major security threat. Ethiopian troops are also battling the militants from the south and west.

The loss of Marka leaves the Shabab with two major ports in southern Somalia — Barawe and the key rebel bastion of Kismayo — although an international naval blockade has already greatly squeezed maritime access there. agencies

Labels: KENYA, SOMALIA

posted by MrK @ 11:03 PM