Beledweyne — Gunmen in Somalia's central city of Beledweyne have gunned down two local residents on Tuesday night, the latest in a cycle of killings against locals and government officials, latest reports said.

A witness who spoke with Shabelle under anonymity has confirmed that the murder happened after unknown gunmen attacked a house in Hawo Tako noghborhood located east of Beledweyne.

"We woke up this morning two dead bodies of our neighborhood members being strewn at a street in the village. We don't know who is behind this shocking act," said a resident in the city.

Pro-government soldiers sealed off the area of the crime and carried out searches early in the morning, but no one was arrested over the murder so far, sources said.

This incident comes hours after unindentified two men armed with pistols have shot and killed Sheikh Mohamed Mo'alin Hussein known as (Maracadde), a prominent chief for the traditional elders in Hiiran region.