Mogadishu, Somalia – Somalia’s military court on Thursday executed three men found guilty of belonging to the militant group Al-Shabaab and participating in a string of deadly attacks in Mogadishu and the Lower Shabelle region.
The convicts — Abukar Ahmed Mohamed, Hamse Jeylani Abdullahi “Abtiga,” and Hassan Ali Hussein “Garaad” — were executed by firing squad in the capital after the court upheld their sentences. Military prosecutors said the trio played direct roles in targeted assassinations and bombings that claimed civilian and security personnel lives.
Thursday’s executions bring to six the total number of Al-Shabaab convicts put to death in August alone, underscoring an intensified government campaign against the insurgent group. Authorities have recently fast-tracked high-profile terrorism cases, with military courts delivering swift verdicts aimed at deterring future attacks.
The move comes as security forces continue joint offensives against Al-Shabaab strongholds in southern and central Somalia, alongside efforts to disrupt the group’s urban terror networks.
Officials say the executions send a clear message of zero tolerance for terrorism, though rights groups have in the past raised concerns over the speed of military court proceedings in such cases.