By: Latifa Yusuf Masai
WAJALE (Somalilandsun) – A stray bullet fired by anti-riot police kills a bystander when law enforcers went into loggerheads with demonstrating residents in Wajale town that shares border with neighboring Ethiopia.
Angry residents blocked the town’s main road after the area former administrator Qowrah Musa Hussein was detained a fortnight ago. This led to deployment of anti-riot police to restrain the demonstrating residents hence costing the live of a man watching the events as they unfold from a distance.
A woman taking part in the demo and a policeman also sustained injuries with their faces covered by blood as a result of being hit by crude weapons consisting of stones thrown by catapults, and arrows propelled by bows.
Eye witnesses revealed that the detention of the ex-administrator sparked the demo after he had authorized a land document for a group of persons that were entangled in ownership dispute with an opponent group with the letter claiming that he had signed the land document after he had relinquished his position as the area administrator.
The border town was highly charged necessitating authorities from Hargeisa to dispatch ministerial delegation led by the Interior minister Ali Waran’ade to curb the incident from triggering violence.
Authorities have not issued an official statement by the time of going to press.
Demonstrators deposited the dead body at the entrance of the town’s police station.
