Mogadishu (AX) — On Saturday, Somali forces launched a bold offensive in Lower Shabelle, tearing down several al-Shabab courts and dismantling their rogue checkpoints.
The combined forces of military, police, and intelligence experts converged on Ali Mahdi Park, Balad Amin, and nearby zones, targeting illicit courts crafted by al-Shabab. Officials clarified that these makeshift judicial systems were tools for the militants to harass and fleece locals.
“We’ve obliterated their sham courts in these regions. They won’t rise again,” declared a government representative to state media.
Authorities are calling on citizens to place their trust in legal courts, assuring them that justice will be meted out through official channels.
“The Khawarij won’t be able to set up their phony courts here anymore. Folks should turn to government courts for justice,” an officer asserted.
This operation mirrors last year’s crackdown by the Somali National Army’s 14th October Brigade, which also dismantled al-Shabab’s predatory checkpoints and courts in Lower Shabelle.
Edited by: Ali Musa
Axadle international–Monitoring
