Over the past few hours on Saturday, Al-Shabab fighters have carried out public executions in Kunyabarrow and Bu’ale townships in Lower Shabelle and Middle Jubba provinces. The militant group executed individuals they accused of espionage. The first execution took place in Bu’ale town in the Middle Jubba region, where five young men were publicly executed by firing squad. Al-Shabab claimed that these men were spies for the Somali Federal government and international partners. In Kunyabarrow settlement in Lower Shabelle region, reports state that five more people were executed by firing squad in a public square. Al-Shabab accused these individuals of being spies for the Somali Federal Government and the United States. These men were reported to be local residents in the settlement, and the group claimed that their alleged spying was the reason for their execution. In total, ten men were executed, with Al-Shabab accusing them of being responsible for airstrikes and bombings in Middle Jubba and Lower Shabelle regions. The Al-Shabab court stated that the executed men were found guilty of the allegations against them. During the execution, the group forced locals to attend the public squares where the executions took place, with senior Al-Shabab leaders present. These executions come at a time when the group is facing increasing pressure from operations conducted by the Somali Federal Government and airstrikes carried out by international partners, aimed at weakening the group’s operational capabilities and claiming the lives of many of its members.
