Sharif Mohamed Barkhadle Ayanle

SOMALIA: EX-ARMY OFFICER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ROLE IN MOGADISHU BOMBINGS

January 12, 2023:

The Court of the Armed Forces of Somalia has sentenced to death a former army official – Sharif Mohamed Barkhadle Ayanle for his role in Mogadishu blasts, Shabelle Media reported on 12 January 2023.
Ayanle was a member of the National Army for many years before being brainwashed and recruited by the militant group Al-Shabaab. He facilitated car bombings that killed at least 27 people.
He was convicted of smuggling the IEDs-laden vehicles from the Al-Shabaab group to Mogafishu using his army ID and driving the VBIEDs to the intended targets.
The court said that he parked VBIEDs at the gates of several commercial areas in Mogadishu such as: Village Hotel, Afar Restaurant, Bar Italia, around Hamar-Weyne Mall, Cagaweyne Restaurant, Bilsan Restaurant, and other places in 2019.
He was also accused of selling two mortars and 40 rounds of ammunition to Al-Shabaab that was later used for shelling Mogadishu.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Hassan Ali Noor Shute, the chairman of the Court, Ayanle has 30 days to appeal against the verdict and if failed he will directly face the firing squad.
Ayanle, a 53-year-old ex-member of the army reached the rank of captain in the SNA and served since 2000, according to the military court.