Somalia: Comic shot dead after mocking Islamist militants

A popular Somali comic and playwright who mocked Islamist militants for brainwashing children and killing civilians has been shot dead.

The 43-year-old television and radio comedian Abdi Jeylani Malaq was killed on Tuesday by two young men near his home in Mogadishu.

Abdi Muridi Dhere, a colleague, described Mr Malaq's death as "heartbreaking". He said the killing had sent Mogadishu back to the "dark days".

Seven journalists have been killed in Somalia this year in what appear to have been targeted killings.