HARGEISA, Feb 28 (Horndiplomat) – Political leaders, diplomats and family members gathered in Hargeisa for an iftar, prayer and memorial event marking two years since the killing of Abdinasir Muse Abdirahman “Dahable,” whose death in Mogadishu on Feb. 18, 2024 remains unresolved.
The event was hosted by former Somaliland ambassador Bashe Awil Haji Omar, who renewed calls for accountability.
“Let us always pray for Abdinasir Muse Dahable. Two years have passed and he has yet to receive justice,” Bashe Awil said, adding that Dahable “did not die for any wrongdoing, but for the nationhood of Somaliland.”
Dahable’s father, Muse Abdirahman, told attendees that his son “died for Somaliland’s sovereignty,” describing the killing as both a personal tragedy and a national loss.
Kulmiye party chairman Mohamed Kahin Ahmed said Dahable was killed “because of the Somaliland cause,” calling him “an asset” whose death deeply affected the nation.
Former Somalia Information Minister Osman Dubbe described the killing as “an act of cruelty,” while activist Hamse Awale called for a memorial monument to be built in Dahable’s honour.
Background to the Assassination
Dahable, a distinguished Chevening alumnus from Somaliland, was a respected member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) team in Mogadishu, having been assigned there after ICAO relocated its main office to the Somali capital in 2018.
He was found dead in his room in Mogadishu on Feb. 18, 2024. Early reports noted visible physical injuries, prompting suspicions of foul play. The Somaliland government at the time denounced the killing as a “cruel and deliberate act” and called for an independent investigation.
A post-mortem examination conducted in Hargeisa provided further details. Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Osman, who was at the time Director-General of the hospital where the autopsy was conducted, said Dahable had suffered severe trauma consistent with torture.
“After a 48-hour examination, we determined that he was strangled using a thick rope held around his neck for approximately five to seven minutes,” he said. He added that Dahable’s right jaw was fractured, his left cheekbone shattered and his left eye severely damaged. Numerous visible wounds suggested he had struggled before his death.
Dr. Osman further alleged that the body had been tampered with before being transferred to Hargeisa, saying electricity to the air conditioner and refrigerator in the Mogadishu room had been cut for several days, potentially affecting forensic evidence.
A confidential intelligence source alleged that officers linked to Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) were involved in the killing. According to the source, Hassan Dahir is believed to have been one of two officers involved, allegedly acting under the authority of his superior, Mahad Mohamed Salad, who serves as Director of NISA.
Dahable was laid to rest in Gebiley on Feb. 25, 2024, in a funeral attended by Somaliland government officials and members of the public.
Two years on, participants at the Hargeisa memorial said they would continue to demand accountability for his death.
