Somali MP shot dead in Mogadishu

The deceased parliamentarian, Hassan Ahmed Elmi, also known as Hassan Jalleh, was killed in front of his house at about 7:30pm local time.

According to his neighbours, a battle wagon with over seven heavily armed youngsters pulled up in front of his house as he was sitting in front of the gate.

Two of the gunmen reportedly descended from the truck and shot four bullets straight at his chest and head killing him on the spot before they sped away unhurt. The identity of the assailants is not known.

Faction leader Muse Sudi Yalahow controls the area where the MP lived with his wife and eight children. Yalahow is one of the five faction leaders of Mogadishu who never hid their strong opposition to the government recently established in neighbouring Djibouti.

Yalahow's faction has denied any responsibility for the killing. According to the relatives of the deceased MP, gunmen whom they could not identify came to the house looking for the MP earlier this month when he was not home,. Parliament Speaker Abdalla Derow Issak spoke of a "preplanned plot" to undermine the interim government of Somalia.

"Masked and frightened terrorists have carried out the killing, and I cannot point my finger at any particular faction leader," he said. "This will not hurt our determination to keep working for our people," he added.

Hassan Ahmed Elmi's funeral Monday was attended by the Prime Minister, the Parliament Speaker, several ministers and hundreds of ordinary citizens of Mogadishu. The killing was the second blow against the new government of Abdiqasim Salad Hassan established in neighbouring Djibouti in late August.

General Yusuf Tallan, an influential member of the disarmament committee was killed by four unidentified gunmen near KM-4 junction of South Mogadishu controlled by faction leader Hussein Mohamed Aidid 26 days ago. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for either killing.

(la/dpa)