A national hero

There aren't that many Somali comedians - and now there's one less:

One of Somalia's most popular comedians, known for his parodies of Islamist militants, has been shot dead in the capital, Mogadishu.

Abdi Jeylani Marshale was reportedly killed shortly after leaving a local radio station where he worked as a drama producer and performer.

It is not known who carried out the murder but last year Marshale was threatened by the extremist group al-Shabaab, prompting him to go into hiding in neighbouring Somaliland for several days.

Witnesses told the BBC that Marshale was shot several times in the head and chest by two men armed with pistols. The gunmen have not been caught.

Yusuf Keynan, a presenter at Kulmiye Radio, where Marshale worked, was quoted in media reports as saying: "He had not done anything wrong to anybody, as far as we are concerned, but they shot him in the head and shoulders. This is a black day for the entire entertainment industry. He was a leader in Somalia comedy and everybody liked his performance."

Kulmiye Radio reported that hundreds of journalists, relatives, supporters and dignitaries attended his funeral. The site quoted the station owner, Osman Abdullah Guure, as urging journalists to carry guns to protect themselves: "I strongly encourage the journalists to take their guns and not consider any one protecting them; it is time to defend ourselves."

From the comments here:

I'm a Somali and Marshaale was a national hero, his comedy and work was appreciated by everyone in Somalia and we all loved him. He kept us happy during hard times for our country. He didn't deserve to die!