Former Somali presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo have spoken out strongly against the airstrike that took place last night in Doolow district of Gedo region, which targeted the compound where General Mahad Abdirahman Aden, the former commander of the Somali National Army, was staying.
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said the attack was an attempt to assassinate General Mahad, directly accusing the government led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of being behind the attack.
The former president said the attack was part of what he described as “a well-organized political conspiracy”, and called for security agencies not to get involved in the country’s political conflicts.
Sharif also condemned the casualties caused by the airstrike, warning that such actions could further fuel political conflicts and damage the international community’s confidence in efforts to rebuild Somalia’s security institutions.
Meanwhile, former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo said that General Mahad Abdirahman Aden was injured in the drone attack on his residence.
Farmaajo described the attack as damaging to Somalia’s state-building and reconciliation efforts, and called on the government to immediately conduct an independent investigation to determine who was behind the attack and its motives.
“The conflict in the Southwest is political, and a solution can be sought through dialogue and reconciliation,” Farmaajo said, warning against resolving political differences through violent measures or political targeting.
The Doolow attack comes at a time of intense political conflict in the country, especially over the situation in the Southwest and disputes between the federal government and political parties with different perspectives.
Both former presidents called for a transparent and independent investigation into the Doolow incident to determine the truth behind the attack, who was behind it, and who could be held accountable.