Al-Shabaab informers charged in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A court in Somalia charged 11 people for allegedly being informers of the terror group; Al-Shabaab, in one of the cases which yet again shows the commitment of the country in fighting against Al-Shabaab militants, a group that controls a few parts of the country.

The military court in Mogadishu heard that the 11 individuals were the “ears of the enemy". Al-Shabaab militants have planted informers both in the public and private sectors and in some worst scenarios, a few members of the national army are also blamed for such acts.

According to the state media, of the accused individuals, three were women, and the remaining me. Lawyers for the accused have denied the allegations and the court is set to set to deliver the verdict on the case soon, state media adds.

"Alleged Al-Shabaab collaborators on trial in military court. Eight men and three women from the Hodan district were accused of spying for terrorists. The group’s registrar nabbed in the Mogadishu market. Lawyers challenge evidence. Court to deliver verdict soon," state media reported.

The accused, three of them females, are reportedly local district workers in Mogadishu. They are charged with passing information about government workers, the result of attacks, individuals targeted, and explosions to al-Shabaab.

Besides targeting informers, the government of Somalia has also heavily invested in tracking financiers of the group and sources of income. Last year, over 250 bank accounts belonging to financiers and 70 mobile money transfer services.

The government through the national army, the US Africa Command, and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS], has been fighting to eliminate the militants. So far, over 3,500 militants have been killed in the last 14 months.

GAROWE ONLINE