Sunatimes.com - Former director of Somalia's Intelligence Agency Abdirahman Turyare has said on Sunday night that he survived an assassination attempt after forces loyal to the country's outgoing president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo fired on his vehicle.
He was heading to the residences of officials, including former president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud when a number of shots were fired on his vehicle at Miranya junction in Mogadishu's Abdiasis district.
Before the assault, heavily armed troops with a number of military vehicles had been deployed to the area, who blocked roads around the new residence of ex-president.
Turyare said the shots fired by the troops were part of an assassination attempt, though he survived and threatened to take action if government fails to answer what had led to the attack.
It comes as tensions continue to build up in the capital Mogadishu amid tense military buildup in many of the city’s neighborhoods, just a week after president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo’s term was extended in a parliament vote despite international calls for the government to reverse the decision or otherwise face severe consequences, including sanctions and visa restrictions.
Anti-government protests swept through the capital on Sunday night and hundreds of demonstrators were seen marching along major roads in Hodan district, chanting slogans against the outgoing president shortly before his trip to Congo’s capital, Kinshasa where talks with Kenya’s leader Uhuru Kenyatta are scheduled to take place.
Hundreds of heavily armed police officers were also deployed to parts of Hodan district to face off with forces loyal to former police chief of the capital Sadiq John, who had been sacked after suspending parliament session held to extend the president’s term.
By Dahir Alasow
Somalia ex-Spy NISA Boss Says He Survived Assassination Attempt
Sunatimes.com - Former director of Somalia's Intelligence Agency Abdirahman Turyare has said on Sunday night that he survived an assassination attempt after forces loyal to the country's outgoing president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo fired on