Mogadishu (HOL) - A young autorickshaw driver was shot and killed by police in Mogadishu on Saturday, leading to protests near the Howl-Wadaag intersection.
The young man, who has been identified as Mohamed Hayle, was shot by Mogadishu police while inside his 'Bajaj' autorickshaw taxi after a brief dispute. The reason for his killing is still not yet apparent.
According to reports, Hayle's mother and sister were with him in his taxi at the time of the shooting but were not injured.
The deceased's friends said he was a resident of the Gubta district in Daynille.
Within minutes, several other Bajaaj drivers converged on the scene and began confronting local police who were reportedly trying to remove Hayle's body from his vehicle.
The Bajaj drivers began a demonstration demanding the arrest of the officer who killed Hayle.
A frustrated young man said that life as a Bajaj driver has become unbearable.
"Every morning, I come to work to feed my children, but the soldiers block the road and take $15 a day, yet they continue to kill us. It has become unbearable."
The police and security services have responded with live fire to disperse the protestors.
Government officials have not yet commented on the protests.
At least four protesters were
killed by security forces in April 2019 in Mogadishu when hundreds of autorickshaw taxi drivers took to the streets after an officer shot and killed a Bajaj driver.
This story is developing.