Somali Referee Shot Dead by Unknown Gunmen

An Executive Committee member of the Somali Football Federation, Osman Jama Diraa, has died after being shot by unidentified gunmen last week.

Diraa, who doubles as chairman of the SFF Referees Committee was shot on Thursday, 17th August 2017, in Mogadishu, as he left a mosque near his home.

 “It was a very shocking experience to learn of the death of or beloved colleague. The reason for the brutal killing of our colleague is yet unclear, but investigations are under way,” SFF president Said Arab Abdiqani said in a statement.

A former referee, Diraa served as the Somali Football Federation Executive Committee member since 2010.  He has since been buried.

He becomes the second high profile football official to be killed in the past five years, after former president, Mahmoud Nur, died during a suicide explosion in April 2012.

Meanwhile, the Federation has suspended all football activities for seven days in honour of Diraa.