Somalia. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The Al-Shabaab jihadists reportedly killed six businessmen in Hiran in Central Somalia late on Sunday.
Shabelle
Radio, an independent broadcaster, Monday reported that the
Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab seized several lorries around Qurac-Joome
settlement, about 55km of Beledweyne town, the regional capital of
Hiranregion.
Hiranregion.
Beledweyne town lies 335km north of Mogadishu.
Shabelle
Radio quoted the Hiran region’s deputy governor, Mr Mohamoud Ali
Mohamoud, saying the six businessmen were killed by the militants who
also burnt 11 lorries.
Several years
“Al-Shabaab
militants seized the vehicles after delivering commercial items in
Hudur town, the capital of Bakol region,” said Mr Mohamoud.
He indicated the Al-Shabaab militants, who have maintained
control over Hudur town for several years, were angered when some
businessmen defied their ban and delivered food and other items to the
besieged town.
“The lorries were on their way back to
Beledweyne town, having delivered consignments to Hudur town,” Shabelle
Radio further quoted the deputy governor.
“Unfortunately,
the violent extremists managed to seize some of the trucks while others
managed to escape and were on their way to Beledweyne town,” he added.
The war tactics
Many
areas in southern and central Somalia remain under the Al-Shabaab as
part of the war tactics the group adopted after they lost major towns to
the Somali National Army (SNA), supported by the peacekeepers serving
under the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom).
Both
government and civilian vehicles were often hit by Improvised Explosive
Device (IED) planted by the Al-Shabaab along the traffic ways, causing
deaths, injuries and damage to properties.
The
Al-Shabaab militants are struggling to defeat the internationally
recognised federal government of Somalia, having an ultimate goal of
establishing an Islamic state under Sharia (Islamic law).
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