In Summary
- Local media reported that Abdirahman Abdullahi Bakal Kooke was killed in a roadside explosion in his car.
- He was the head of intelligence in the Gedo region that neighbours Kenya in Mandera.
A top official from the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) in Somalia was killed on Thursday evening in the Gedo region, Somalia in an attack claimed by al-Shabaab.
Local media reported that Abdirahman Abdullahi Bakal Kooke was killed in a roadside explosion in his car.
He was the head of intelligence in the Gedo region that neighbours Kenya in Mandera.
The incident happened between the towns of Luuq and Dolow and left six other officials in his team injured.
Kooke has been vital in the fight against the al-Shabaab in the region closely working with Kenya Defence (KDF) both inside Somalia and in Mandera.
Officials said he has been a bridge between the KDF, the Ethiopia National Defence Forces (ENDF) and the Somali National Army.In a statement, NISA Director Mahad Salad called for investigations into Kooke’s death.
NISA, funded by the United States is accredited for providing fighting tips to security forces and also arresting suspected attackers in Somalia.
Gedo remains an epicentre of the fight against the terror group with KDF putting much focus on the area since the militants use the region as entry into Kenya.
The 2016 El-Adde attack on KDF increased their surveillance in the region leading to reduced terror activities.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud vowed to defeat the militants and recent data released by Prime Minister Hanza Abdi Barre shows up to 500 militants have been killed in the past five months in Somalia.
Al-Shabaab is under pressure to surrender on several fronts following spirited operations by the federal government of Somalia assisted by US Africa Command, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and Macawisley, the local militia.
Despite the little gains, the group has continued to wage retaliatory attacks in major towns in Somalia including in the capital Mogadishu.