Al-Shabaab fighters executed by firing squad in Somalia

KISMAYO, Somalia - Al-Shabaab militants were executed by authorities in Somalia, officials said, in the latest crackdown against the militants who have been destabilizing the Horn of Africa nation for the last 19 years, when they first struck in the country.

Al-Shabaab is fighting to topple the fragile UN-backed federal government of Somalia, but there have been concerted efforts to drive them away from the country. The group has lost several strategic towns across the country.

According to reports, five men convicted for terrorism including assassinations and the killing of two clerics and an elder have been executed by firing squad in Kismayo, Jubaland state of Somalia, Tuesday.

The firing squad has been used to tackle those convicted of terrorism in the country for the last few years. The country uses the military's court-martial to execute those responsible for the criminal activities, which have destabilized thousands of people.

The execution comes a few days after the militants also executed five men accused of collaborating with security sources, especially the US Africa Command and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), accusing them of spying for the two entities.

The al-Shabaab militants have struggled to control the country, with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud ruling out possibilities of dialogue with the group. The government also insists that the group has lost influence since the activation of the second phase of operations against Al-Shabaab.

The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has started strategic withdrawal from the country as the Somali National Army takes over security responsibilities. The government believes that the Alshabaab threat will be effectively countered by the end of the year.

GAROWE ONLINE