Friday, October 09, 2009
Sheik Ahmed Abdurahman Taliban died alongside two of his bodyguards in the Elasha Biyaha district, about 20km southwest of Mogadishu on Friday.
Elasha Biyaha is home to hundreds of thousands of IDPs who fled their homes in the restive capital Mogadishu due to the nearly daily armed confrontations in the city.
"Unidentified gunmen in a four-wheel drive sprayed bullets on Sheik Taliban’s car, killing him on the spot," Mohamed Ali an eye witness told APA by telephone.
"The situation here in Elahsa Biyaha is very tense as more Hezbal Islam fighters have occupied the area," the eye witness added.
Sheik Taliban was the highest-ranking militia commander of Hezbal Islam, but his death comes in the wake of fighting, for the past several days, between his group and their one-time ally Al-Shabab which is accused of having ties with Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network.
The two Islamic groups were fighting to control the key port city of Kismayo, about 500km south of the capital.
Last week another Hezbal Islam top commander Sheik Aden Abdi Salam was assassinated in Beledweyn, about 335km north of the capital Mogadishu.
Source: APA, Oct 09, 2009