Somalia's youngest minister 'accidentally killed' in capital

Somalia's minister of public works and reconstruction Abbas Abdullahi Siraji was mistakenly shot at by government security guards outside the presidential palace, senator Ilyas Abdulahi, told AFP.

The government said it was "deeply saddened" by the death of Siraji, the youngest member of the Somali cabinet, who grew up in a Kenyan refugee camp before winning election in 2016 and being named a minister by President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed.

Sources said the gunmen were security guards for another government official, many of whom are escorted around the capital by armed guards in pick-up trucks.

"Armed men on board a pick-up truck in front opened fire on the minister's car as he followed, it seems it was a mistake but it is being investigated," said Ibrahim Mohamed, a police officer.

Siraji, 31, grew up in Dadaab, Kenya, among the world's largest refugee camps and won a surprise victory over a former minister in elections last year.

His story was widely seen as an inspiration for a country which has suffered conflict and anarchy for the last 25 years.

Somalia's Information Minister Abdirahman Omar Osman tweeted that Siraji had a "full and promising future ahead of him".

Siraji promised to work hard towards Somalia's development at a recent TedX talk in Mogadishu on April 20.

"When we come together as youth, women, elders, everyone, we can build our country and do anything else we want," Siraji said. 

"As for my part, I will work for peace, development and for reaching brighter times."

Somali President Mohammed Farmaajo said he was cutting short his trip to Ethiopia to mourn the death of the young minister, according to an official Twitter account linked to the presidency.

Although Shabaab militants linked to al-Qaeda carry out regular bombings and assassinations targeting government officials, there was no indication that the group was responsible for Siraji's death.