Colonel Osman Mohamed, who was the Puntland’s Presidential guard commander, was killed last night together with his bodyguard, Ahmed Yusuf Abdi, when their troops engaged in a gunfight with a militia group at Kabista in Galkayo.
The battle that started last night ceased earlier this morning leaving one gang member dead and four others injured. Reports say it was an anti-drug operation that was intended to vacate the militia group from the former factory building they were residing in and also confiscate their weapons. The intense exchange of fire started immediately the group refused to comply.
Other posts on social media linked the attack to Al-Shabaab but the Federal Government of Somalia was quick to point out that it was not the Al-Shabaab but drug dealers who are notorious for hanging around that particular area.
President Abdulahi’s appointment of Colonel Osman as a security commander brought in a disagreement with his Deputy, Ahmed Kaarash, who was against the changes. His death will increase the already existing tension between Puntland and the FGS incase they decides to retaliate or carry out revenge for the death of the young officer.
The member state has had several political misunderstandings with the Farmajo led government over the years; first because President Farmajo has declined to recognize Puntland as an independent State and the most recent conflict came in when President Abdulahi openly criticized the FGS for voting out Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire after standing by President Farmajo for all those years.
