¡¡¡¡MOGADISHU, Aug. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- There's growing tension Sunday in Galkaio town following the killing Saturday of a well known British-Somali national sultan in the Kala-Bayrkah village, about 60 km south of Garoweh town, the capital of the semi-autonomous regional government of Puntland.

¡¡¡¡The deceased traditional elder is Sultan Ahmed Mohamud Mohamed best known as Sultan Hurreh.

¡¡¡¡According to eyewitnesses who do not want to be named, a convoyof several battle wagons escorting Colonel Abdullahi Yussuf Ahmed from Garoweh town stopped as soon as they passed through the village after they probably have recognized the truck of Sultan Hurreh.

¡¡¡¡"Two battle wagons with nearly 20 heavily armed men immediatelydrove back and one truck stopped just in front of the Sultan's vehicle and the other stopped just behind it," said the eyewitness. ¡¡¡¡

¡¡¡¡"Some of the gunmen opened fire, and as the Sultan tried to getdown from the vehicle he was shot dead on the spot," the eyewitness added.

¡¡¡¡The body of Sultan Hurreh was driven back to Galkaio where he left earlier in the day and he was buried Sunday morning in the graveyard of the town with the participation of most of the traditional leaders in Puntland.

¡¡¡¡There's no word as yet from Colonel Yussuf's administration over the killing of Sultan Hurreh, but it is known that late Sultan Hurreh has strongly opposed to Colonel Yussuf's political doctrine in Puntland.

¡¡¡¡Sultan Hurreh has been one of those elders who deprived ColonelYussuf from the presidency of Puntland in the meeting in Garoweh town last year and has lately been supporting ousted president Jama Ali Jama. Enditem

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