ICC Note:

The underground Somali church continues to mourn the murder of a prominent Pastor, Abdishakur Yusuf, who was gunned downed by two suspected Al-Shabaab militants on the outskirts of Mogadishu, the nation’s capital. Yusuf’s wife and three children, ages 11, 8 and 5 have since been relocated for security concerns. Al-Shabaab, an Islamic insurgency affiliated with al-Qaeda, continues to discriminately murder Christians and those affiliated with the Christian west in it’s attempt to regain control of the country in hopes of Islamizing the Horn of Africa nation.

05/25/2014 Somalia (Morning Star News) – As in many cases of the mounting number of murders of secret Christians in Somalia, Islamic extremists with the Al Shabaab rebel group were suspected in the March 16 shooting of Abdishakur Yusuf at 9:40 a.m. on the outskirts of the capital Mogadishu. A leader of five underground groups in a country where leaving Islam is punishable by death, Yusuf’s prominence made publication of his death at the time too raw for the many who knew him, but they have granted permission now as they seek the prayers of brethren worldwide.

“Sadness and grief has befallen our community when our dear brother Abdishakur Yusuf was mercilessly murdered in Mogadishu by unknown gunmen,” a source who requested anonymity told Morning Star News. “He was found outside his house lying in a pool of blood.”

Al Shabaab, an Al Qaeda-affiliated force that has lost south and central territory to Somali government and Kenyan military forces the past two years, has members residing both clandestinely and openly in Somalia, including Mogadishu, sources said. Al Shabaab members constantly monitor movements of those they suspect of being Christians, they said.

Yusuf leaves a widow and three children, ages 11, 8 and 5; they have been relocated.

“He was shot in the head multiple times, so that his face is barely recognizable,” the source said. “We appeal to our brothers and sister to help the young family of our brother who is now with the Lord in a place where there is no more pain. We had to hold series of counseling and consolation meetings for our believers.”

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