Mogadishu, Somalia — A Somali military court on Sunday sentenced former soldier Mohamed Bulle Mumin to death after finding him guilty of collaborating with Al-Shabaab and orchestrating a deadly ambush in Kismayo.
According to court proceedings, Mumin was directly involved in a June 2023 attack inside a military camp in Kismayo, where he fatally shot a fellow soldier and seriously wounded another while they were asleep.
The court revealed that he later attempted to justify his actions by citing a land dispute, but prosecutors argued his actions amounted to terrorism and treason.
Following the ambush, Mumin fled the area and ultimately sought refuge with Al-Shabaab, the Al-Qaeda-linked extremist group responsible for decades of violence in Somalia. He remained with the militants until April 2025, when security forces captured him in Elasha Biyaha, on the outskirts of Mogadishu.
Officials said the case highlighted the risks of infiltration within Somalia’s security services, as Mumin had previously been linked to the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA). His betrayal, coupled with his decision to surrender to Al-Shabaab, was described by prosecutors as a grave breach of trust and a direct threat to national security.
The court’s ruling is part of an ongoing military campaign against Al-Shabaab members and collaborators. Over the past two months, Somalia’s military courts have carried out a series of trials leading to executions and death sentences for individuals accused of assassinations, bombings, and insider attacks.
The death sentence is subject to appeal, but if upheld, Mumin will join a growing list of convicted militants facing the firing squad as Somalia seeks to deter insurgent activities and strengthen discipline within its armed forces.