Somalia saw the third day of protests on Saturday over the arrest of the former number two leader of the al-Shabab extremist group, Mukhtar Robow. Officials said at least eight people have been killed so far as angry supporters take to the streets and clash with police.
Last Thursday, Somalia's internal security ministry said it arrested Robow, accusing him of bringing Islamist militants and weapons back to Baidoa, the capital of the southwestern Bay region.
Witnesses said Robow was seized by Ethiopian troops accompanied by Somali police. Some Somali lawmakers have accused the African Union (AU) mission of being involved.
Ethiopia's military, which contributes troops to the AU mission, has not commented. The AU peacekeeping mission in Somalia said it had no part in the arrest.
People gather around the wreckage of two burned cars after a blast in Mogadishu, Somalia, December 16, 2018. /VCG Photo
Robow, a former prominent al-Shabab insurgent and group spokesperson, is now running to be a regional president of the southwestern region. He announced his defection from the group in 2017, an act that was welcomed by Somalia's government. His candidacy, however, appeared to take some officials by surprise.
After the arrest, Somali officials have announced that the election for the southwest presidency will go ahead as scheduled on Wednesday, leading to protests from Robow's supporters in Baidoa. Armed militias thought to be linked to Robow were seen on the streets.
A new joint statement by the U.S., more than a dozen countries, the AU mission and the UN expressed concern, deploring the violence, urging dialogue and urging all parties to respect the integrity of the electoral process.
(Top image: Former al-Shabab leader Mukhtar Robow attends a news conference in Baidoa, Somalia, November 4, 2018. /VCG Photo)