MOGADISHU (SD) – Former State minister for Defense has called for thorough investigation into the death of a well known army general killed in Al-Shabab attack over the weekend.

Yussuf Said Indha-Adde has raised questions about the death of General Mohamed Nur Galal saying he believes the general may have been eliminated by Somali forces during an operation to break an al-Shabaab siege in Afrik Hotel in Somali capital, Mogadishu.

Indha-ade told the media that the phone of Gen. Galal who served him SNA during Siyad Barre’s reign was reachable during the hours al-Shabaab’s attack on the hotel.

“We are suspecting the killing of the general was not executed by al-Shabaab but was done by the government forces. Therefore we are calling for independent investigation into the incident,” he said.

Somali government did not comment on the allegations levelled against its forces.

But al-Shabaab through its online media claimed the responsibility for murder of the general saying the late general was spearheading the fight against the militants.

“Galal was trained and committed for so long in the fight against sharia law, while using his knowledge and military intelligence experience to fight mujahidin,” the statement said.

Galal who is a shareholder of Afrik Hotel died in Sunday attack by al-Shabaab gunmen who stormed the hotel.

The octogenarian who was laid to rest on Tuesday in Galmudug state took part in the 1977 Ogaden War between Somalia and Ethiopia.

He also briefly served as SNA Chief and defense minister in 1990s.