Mogadishu, 18 August 2007 - The continued violence in Mogadishu has claimed another innocent civilian adored by locals for his peacemaking endeavours over the past 17 years.

Moallim Harun Moallim Yusuf, a Hawiye clan peacemaker, was shot dead near his house moments after he left a local mosque in Yaaqshiid district, his relatives said.

No one has been apprehended for killing the clan elder. Witnesses said two unidentified gunmen used pistols to kill Moallim Yusuf before fleeing into the night.

Mogadishu residents remember Moallim Yusuf for partaking in the resolution to many clan conflicts over the years, mainly amongst the Hawiye clan. He was an active participant at the ongoing national reconciliation conference, which opened in Mogadishu last month.

President Abdullahi Yusuf and Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi sent their condolences to the family of the late victim.

In other attacks, a deputy governor accompanied by a district commissioner were targeted in a roadside explosion. Both officials survived.

Source: Garowe Online