The President of Somalia’s North Eastern State, Abdikadir Aw Ali Firdhiye, has appointed a five-member committee to investigate the killing of civilians in Aricadeeye, in the Sool region, on 23 June.

In a presidential decree, President Firdhiye named the administration’s Minister of Justice, General Abdi Hassan Mohamed, as chair of the committee.

The committee has been mandated to conduct an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killings and to assess the response and actions taken by the security agencies of the North Eastern State administration.

Nearly 30 people were killed in the violence, which reportedly stemmed from fighting between local clans in the area. Among those killed were women and elderly civilians.

The Federal Government of Somalia had earlier appealed for the Aricadeeye dispute to be resolved through dialogue, warning against further escalation and renewed clashes.