     yaabane | Tuesday, December 19, 2000 - 08:42 am
Ali Khalif Galayr escaped an assassination bid the day before yesterday, Friday [15 December], when a group of armed militiamen opened fire on him and his delegation as they were about to fly out of Bali Dogle airport, 90 km southwest of Mogadishu. The group that carried out the attack on Mr Galayr and his delegation who were leaving for Italy are said to be part of the militia that controls the airport.
A businessman, who was part of the men accompanying Ali Khalif, was wounded in the attack. Mr Galayr and the members of his delegation, who included Isma'il [Hurre] Buba, who is the foreign minister of the faction government, escaped the attack unhurt and flew to UAE, carrying with them the injured man who had a bullet wound on his leg. Those behind the attack and the target of the attack are not yet known, although there have been several attacks and plots against the members of the faction since they arrived in Mogadishu. There are reports however indicating that the attack could have been the work of the militia group controlling the airport who angered at the way the officials of the Arta group [interim government] are using the airport without paying fees...
Source: Jamhuuriya, Hargeysa, in Somali |
