Somalia’s Military Supreme Court Issues Final Verdict in 2025 Balad Hawo Terror Case

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Supreme Court of the Armed Forces on Sunday issued its final ruling in a high-profile terrorism case, upholding 15-year prison terms for two men convicted in connection with murders and bombings that struck the border town of Balad Hawo in the Gedo region in 2025.

The court affirmed a 15-year sentence for Mohamed Aden Abuukar Heydar Mukhtaar and reduced the punishment for co-defendant Mohamed Qadar Ali Aden from 20 years to 15 years after reviewing an appeal filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Armed Forces. The ruling closes the appellate phase and is final within the military justice system, according to Gen. Libaan Ali Yarow, chairman of the Supreme Court of the Armed Forces.

Both defendants were originally convicted by a military court of first instance in December 2025 on terrorism-related charges tied to a series of violent attacks in Balad Hawo. In that decision, Heydar received a 15-year term, while Aden was sentenced to 20 years. The Attorney General’s Office appealed the initial verdicts, prompting the Supreme Court to convene on Feb. 4 to hear arguments from prosecutors and defense counsel.

In its judgment delivered Sunday, the Supreme Court standardized the penalties at 15 years each, finding both men guilty on terrorism charges and concluding that equal sentences were warranted following the appellate review. The court’s decision effectively aligns the cases of the two defendants and cements their convictions related to the 2025 violence in Balad Hawo.

Details of the attacks cited in the convictions were not disclosed in court summaries; authorities described them as murders and bombings that targeted the area, contributing to a pattern of insecurity in parts of southern and central Somalia. The case was prosecuted in the military justice system, which is routinely used to handle terrorism-related offenses in the country.

Military courts in Somalia frequently hear cases stemming from attacks attributed to extremist groups operating across several regions, a reflection of the state’s ongoing security challenge and the specialized jurisdiction granted to the armed forces’ judiciary. Sunday’s ruling underscores that approach, reinforcing the role of military courts in adjudicating terrorism cases and delivering sentences intended to deter future violence.

The Supreme Court’s decision follows established procedure in which the Attorney General of the Armed Forces may seek review of first-instance rulings. After arguments earlier this month, the panel issued its final determination, leaving both convictions and the recalibrated 15-year sentences in place.

With the appellate process concluded, the court’s order will now be implemented by the relevant corrections authorities. Neither the prosecution nor defense lawyers immediately disclosed whether any ancillary motions would be pursued, but the Supreme Court’s judgment is conclusive under the armed forces’ legal framework.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.

Sunday February 15, 2026