10 July 2010 - Unknown gunmen, covering their faces with masks, have shot dead a Somali official in the central Somali town of Beledweyne, the administrative capital of Hiran region, Radio Garowe reports.

The official, a spokesman for the ousted local Somali troops, is said to have been in the town for the last four days.

His assassination was claimed by Al-Shabaab, an insurgent group that is fighting the transitional federal government.

"We are behind the killing of Salad Hareed because he was a spy for the TFG. He arrived four days ago on a mission to strategize on the troops entry to Beledweyne," said Al-Shabaab.

The incident was the latest in a series of fatal attacks on Somali government officials.

Meanwhile, Somalia's most powerful militant group Al-Shabaab have reportedly executed a man accused of spying for Ethiopian government.

The execution took place in Baidoa, the administrative capital of southern Bay region on Saturday where dozens of Al-Shabaab's supporters gathered to witness the grisly act carried out by a firing squad.

Al-Shabaab, which controls much of southern and central Somalia, has previously carried out without any due course public executions, amputations and floggings in various parts of the war-torn nation with victims having no legal representatives. (Click to go to the source)

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