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Somali Singer, Parliament Member Killed in Mogadishu

A popular Somali singer who was also a member of parliament has been killed by Islamist militants.

Militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for Wednesday's shooting of Saado Ali Warsame outside the Ambassador Hotel in Mogadishu.  A witness said that gunmen in a car shot her several times in the chest, then fled.

Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed strongly condemned Warsame's killing, describing the attack as "barbaric."

Warsame was a well-known singer formerly based in the U.S. city of Minneapolis.  A lawmaker there of Somali origin, Abdikadir Hassan, said he worked with Warsame on projects to fight injustice in Somalia. 

“I worked with her while she was here. She was a true leader that loved her country [and] locals.  Her bravery made her go to Somalia and become an official elected to parliament," said Hassan.

In 2012 Warsame returned to Somalia and became one of the few women in the country's new legislature.

She was the fourth member of parliament killed by al-Shabab this year.