Las Anod (WDN) — New details have emerged in the brutal killing of Farah Aydied Jama, also known as “Bariis,” a prominent security expert and former member of the Ethiopian consulate in Garowe. His body was discovered in the Gojaadde valley on the outskirts of Las Anod, prompting immediate accusations from local officials that the militant group Al-Shabaab is behind the assassination.

Abdullahi Hirsi Dhere, Attorney General of the SSC-Khatumo administration, directly accused Al-Shabaab of orchestrating the murder. Speaking at a press conference, Dhere stated that intelligence gathered by the administration confirms that Jama was killed within Las Anod town before his body was transported to the outskirts, a move possibly meant to confuse investigators. “The information we have shows that this officer was killed inside Las Anod town, and then his body was taken to the outskirts… two mobile phones were taken from him,” Dhere said.

Farah Bariis had arrived in Las Anod days before his death and was reportedly keeping a low profile. However, according to the SSC Ombudsman, his presence did not go unnoticed. Intelligence suggests that Al-Shabaab had been monitoring his movements closely. Sources reveal that Jama was once part of Al-Shabaab but had defected—an act that may have made him a marked man.

Officials confirm that he had previously survived an assassination attempt by the group, reinforcing suspicions that his murder was a targeted hit. The Ombudsman added that social media reports claiming Jama was killed in Garowe and moved to Las Anod are “entirely false.”

Dhere emphasized that Jama appeared unguarded during his time in the city. “I believe this man was under close surveillance. When he came here, he didn’t take sufficient precautions,” he noted, underscoring the city’s fragile security landscape.

This incident marks the first officially attributed Al-Shabaab killing in Las Anod since the town came under SSC-Khatumo control following the expulsion of Somaliland authorities.

As investigations continue, the assassination sends a chilling message about the reach of Al-Shabaab and the precarious security situation in northern Somalia.

WardheerNews