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Al-Shabaab communication leads to severe penalties, warns Somali president


Friday July 12, 2024


Al-Shabaab communication leads to severe penalties, warns Somali president

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has declared that severe penalties will be imposed on anyone who communicates with a member of Al-Shabaab, even if they are relatives. The President stressed that interacting with Al-Shabaab members is a crime and warned the Somali people against such actions.

"No one can contact a Shabaab member; it's a crime. Know this: if someone is found to have called or made contact with a Shabaab member, they will face a court trial. This is not a secret; everyone should be aware," said President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. He added that ignorance will no longer be an excuse.


The President stated that this measure aims to strengthen the law against Al-Shabaab. He also asserted that all areas liberated from Al-Shabaab remain under government control, with no areas being recaptured by the group.

"There is not a single district that was freed from terrorists that they have recaptured. Let no one deceive the Somali people. The Khawarij does not have the capability. The liberated areas are under the control of government and local forces," said President Hassan Sheikh.

The directive follows a series of initiatives to weaken Al-Shabaab's influence and operational capabilities. Recently, President Mohamud accused Al-Shabaab of instigating clan conflicts to disrupt military operations against them. The government has also intensified its anti-Al-Shabaab campaign in the Middle Shabelle region and reorganized the army, creating four new commands specifically to combat the group.

Additionally, the Somali government has been targeting Al-Shabaab's financial networks. Measures such as blocking the group's income sources, which reportedly reduced their funds by half, and seizing hundreds of bank accounts linked to Al-Shabaab have been implemented. In a high-profile case in May, a Mogadishu court sentenced a 70-year-old man to seven years in prison for financing Al-Shabaab.




 





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