Beled Hawo businesses shut as residents protest killing of teenage boy

Residents of Beled Hawo in Somalia’s Gedo region staged protests on Friday following the fatal shooting of a teenage boy allegedly by a soldier from the Jubaland regional forces.

The victim, identified as Abdirahman Ali, was reportedly shot and killed in the town, triggering public outrage. Witnesses said the soldier fled to a military camp on the outskirts of Beled Hawo after the incident.

Shops and businesses were closed as the protests brought commercial activity to a halt.

The protesters are demanding justice for Abdirahman and have strongly urged the administration and security agencies to apprehend the perpetrator of what they described as a shocking incident.

At the time of reporting, neither local authorities nor the Jubaland administration had issued a statement regarding the killing or the ensuing protests.

Beled Hawo, located near the borders with Kenya and Ethiopia, has long struggled with insecurity and periodic outbreaks of violence.