Baidoa police detain three after missing girl found dead

Police in Baidoa, South West State, have detained three individuals—two women and one young man—following the discovery of the body of five-year-old Ikhlaas Ibrahim Amin. The girl had been missing for two days before her body was found late Friday afternoon at a maternal and child health centre in the Xaqsoor neighbourhood, located near her family’s home.

Family members reported seeing injuries that suggested the child had been beaten and strangled with a rope. While official medical results are pending, the body has been transported to Bay Regional Hospital for an examination to determine the exact cause of death. One of the detainees is reported to be a security guard at the building where the body was discovered.

South West leader Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur Madobe has ordered police and intelligence agencies to conduct an urgent investigation to ensure those responsible are held accountable. The victim's family, who were among those relocated to new housing in July, is demanding a full account of the incident and the prosecution of all involved parties.