Somali mayor aid gunned down

Mogadishu - Somali insurgents shot dead the spokesperson for the Mayor of Mogadishu, killed a police officer and wounded a lawmaker in separate attacks in the war-ravaged city, officials and witnesses said on Friday.Armed men ambushed Abbas Nur Galeyr - the mayor's acting spokesperson whose predecessor was killed in an explosion last month - at his home in south Mogadishu late on Thursday and shot him dead.

"Four men armed with pistols attacked and killed the spokesperson in Hamarweyn and we are still investigating the incident. I hope justice will prevail," said Abdullahi Ibrahim Gardhub, a district chief.Also in southern Mogadishu, lawmaker Botan Ise Alin - an ex-warlord - was wounded when attackers hurled a grenade at his house, sparking a heavy exchange of fire between his guards and the raiders.

"He was wounded in the stomach, his situation is better now. Maybe a shrapnel damaged his intestines," a hospital source said.Insurgents also raided a police station in Hodan district in the south of Mogadishu and killed a policeman. Three civilians were wounded in the attack, witnesses said.

Rebels have been targeting government officials and installations in near-daily attacks since their movement was ousted by Ethiopia-backed government forces at the start of 2006.The embattled Somali government is struggling to exert its authority in a war-torn country, while a contingent of African Union (AU) peacekeepers have been unable to stop the attacks. -

Source: Sapa-AFP