Audio By Carbonatix
A senior politician in Somalia's semi-autonomous region of Puntland, Ismael Diriye Gama'diid, died from coronavirus on Monday.
The environment minister had been treated in Puntland and was later transferred to the capital, Mogadishu, according to Dalsan Radio.
Mr Diriye Gama'diid's death was announced by Puntland state President Said Abdullahi in a tweet:
"Verily we belong to God, and verily to Him do we return." 2:156 of the Qur'an.
— President Said Abdullahi Deni (@SaidAbdullahiDe) May 25, 2020
It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Minister Ismail Diriye Gama'diid, #Puntland Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Climate Change, who passed away today due to #COVID19. May.. pic.twitter.com/dpN7siCx28
Somalia has so far recorded 1,689 cases of coronavirus, including 66 deaths.
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