(ANSA) - Palermo, February 28 - The 45-year-old brother of a local Mafia boss was shot dead in the early hours of Friday in Belmonte Mezzagno, an agricultural area near Palermo, which has registered a recent surge in violence, investigative sources said.

Agostino Alessanfro Migliore, 45, brother of Giovanni, who was recently arrested and is believed to be the chief aid of Mafia boss Filippo Bisconti, was killed while he was driving his car in the town at 5 AM.

Bisconti since December 2018 has been collaborating with investigators.

Two murders and an attempted murder have been recently registered in the area, investigative sources said.

