Al-Shabaab executes two men by firing squad in southern Somalia
Al-Shabaab militants on Wednesday executed two men by firing squad in the Lower Shabelle region, marking the latest in a series of killings aimed at those perceived to oppose the group’s divisive agenda to take control of Somalia.
The execution took place in a public square in the Busley Da’ud area near Janalle, about 90 km (55 miles) southwest of Mogadishu, an area under militant control.
The two men, identified as Mohamed Abdulkadir Ali, 21, and Mohamud Hassan Ali, 20, were accused by the militants of being Somali government soldiers. These claims remain unverified. Witnesses say both men were executed in front of at least 100 local residents.
Mohamed Abdulkadir Ali, 21, was accused of operating in Marka, a town in Lower Shabelle, while Mohamud Hassan Ali was alleged to have been operating in Aden Yabal, a town in the Middle Shabelle region that was recently recaptured from Al-Shabaab.
Despite losing control of both Lower and Middle Shabelle regions, the group still holds small pockets of territory where it continues to extort taxes from the local population. They also lost several towns and court areas since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared an all-out war against them.
This execution is not an isolated incident. Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-linked group, has previously executed several individuals by either beheading or firing squad in areas of southern and central Somalia where it maintains control.
The group does not allow victims access to legal counsel, and trials are conducted without the opportunity for the accused to defend themselves. This strategy led to the execution of dozens of people condemned without a fair hearing.
Driven out of Mogadishu in 2011 by Somali and African Union forces, the group continues to carry out deadly attacks. For over a decade, they have fought to overthrow the Somali government and impose a strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law.
Al Shabab still controls large areas in southern Somalia, from where it is believed to launch attacks against Somali National Army bases, African Union peacekeepers, and the capital, Mogadishu.
Source » mareeg.com
