On Thursday, more than a dozen underage girls appeared in a Mogadishu court after they were arrested while traveling to meet their Al-Shabaab husbands.
This situation reveals the exploitation of underage girls by Al-Shabaab, where forced marriages and familial coercion are used to manipulate and control them.
In their statements, they talked about receiving $30 a month, a situation that highlights the economic pressures that may contribute to such arrangements.
The case underscores the need for robust measures to protect vulnerable girls from radicalization, exploitation, and abuse while holding those responsible for coercion and forced marriages accountable.