Somalia's hard-line Al-Shabaab group on Tuesday set fire Somali Shillings in the Kuntuwaarey district of the Lower Shabelle region in southern Somalia, according to Al-Shabaab's regional chairman, Radio Garowe reports.

Al-shabaab regional chairman, Sheikh Mohammed Abu Abdalla, said that they had collected Somali money printed by the Somali Transitional Federal Government from businessmen in the district.

"We collected Somali Shilling from businessmen in Kuntuwaarey district, we arrested people who were behind of bringing shillings mostly are businessmen in this regions," said Abu Abdalla.

However, businessmen claimed that Al-shabaab forcibly collected the money which is approximately 10 million Somali shillings.

The insurgent group al-Shabaab, control most of southern and central parts of Somalia following a three-year battle to overthrow the Somali transitional government.

GAROWE ONLINE