Mogadishu (Caasimada Online) – The Al-Shabaab militant group in Somalia kidnapped several civilians in the central region of Hiiraan on Friday night, sources say.
The region has recently seen a popular uprising against the group, which has driven the terrorists out of much of Hiiraan and the neighboring Middle Shabelle region.
Sources told Caasimada Online that the militia intercepted vehicles carrying civilians on the road and took around 20 people as hostages. The civilians were reportedly on their way to the Buulo-Burte district from Halgan village. The militants are believed to have taken the hostages to a hideout in the jungle.
The militants are said to have taken the hostages to a hideout in the jungle, where they were being held.
There has been no official comment from Hiiraan regional authorities or Somali government military commanders on the incident, which has caused widespread concern among the local population already facing the challenges of the ongoing conflict and military operations in the region.
In recent years, there have been reports of popular uprisings against Al-Shabaab in various regions of Somalia, with civilians taking a stand against the group’s violence and oppressive rule.
In Hiiraan and the neighboring Middle Shabelle region, civilians have reportedly driven the terrorists out of much of the area.
The resistance to Al-Shabaab’s rule has been met with violence and intimidation from the group, including targeting and killing community leaders and activists who have spoken out against their actions.
Despite the risks, many civilians in Somalia continue to push back against Al-Shabaab and demand a peaceful and stable future for their communities.
Al-Shabaab, also known as the Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen, is a jihadist militant group based in Somalia with a presence in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The group is affiliated with al-Qaeda and has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and several other countries.
Al-Shabaab’s primary goal is to establish a fundamentalist Islamic state in Somalia and the wider region. The group has a history of carrying out attacks and abductions in Somalia and the neighboring countries.
Somalia has been embroiled in conflict and instability for decades. The country has been without a functioning central government since the collapse of the Siad Barre regime in 1991, and the country has been wracked by civil war, political unrest, and terrorist attacks.
With the support of international partners, the government has been attempting to restore stability and rebuild the country’s infrastructure. Still, progress has needed to be faster due to ongoing security challenges.
