Mogadishu (WDN) – In one of the most heartbreaking tragedies to strike Somalia’s religious community in recent memory, armed gunmen brutally massacred a group of Islamic clerics who were peacefully reciting the Holy Quran on the outskirts of Warsheekh town in Middle Shabelle region.

The attack targeted a house where revered religious scholars had gathered to recite the Quran — an act of immense spiritual significance in Islam. In the sanctity of their gathering, with verses of Allah’s words echoing in the air, they were met not with peace, but with ruthless violence.

Eyewitnesses report that heavily armed men, believed to be driven by long-standing clan rivalries, stormed the residence and opened indiscriminate fire on the unarmed scholars. The serenity of Quranic recitation was shattered by gunfire, leaving at least four of the clerics dead on the spot. Several others were wounded, some critically, and rushed to Mogadishu for emergency treatment.

In Islam, scholars who dedicate their lives to the study and recitation of the Quran are held in the highest regard — protectors of divine knowledge and moral guidance. Their murder is not only an attack on innocent lives but a desecration of one of the holiest traditions in the Muslim faith.

“These men were not politicians or soldiers. They were men of faith, carrying the words of Allah in their hearts and on their tongues,” said a grieving elder from Warsheekh. “To kill such people is a crime not just against humanity, but against God Himself.”

Despite the gravity of the crime, authorities from Middle Shabelle, Warsheekh District, and the Hirshabelle State government have remained silent. No official statement has been issued, and there is still no word on whether any arrests have been made. The repeated failure to address the cycle of clan violence leaves communities vulnerable and lawless, with the blood of the innocent becoming a familiar stain on Somalia’s troubled soil.

This latest massacre underscores the fragility of Somalia’s security and the deepening wounds of inter-clan animosities that have plagued the region for years. Yet this time, the loss cuts even deeper — claiming the lives of those whose only weapon was the word of God.

As Somalia mourns, many call for justice and divine accountability, fearing that such acts, if left unanswered, may invite not only social chaos but spiritual reckoning.

WardheerNews