Somalia: Al-Shabab cuts off hand of 24-year-old man for theft

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The al Qaeda- affiliated Al-Shabab group has publicly cut off the right hand of a man for stealing in a rebel-held town, about 150Km northwest of Mogadishu, Garowe Online reports.

Al-Shabab judge at militant court convicted Madey Abdulkadir Zaki (Daniyow), 24, of breaking into a pharmacy in Farsoley area in Lower Shabelle region and stealing about $44, a mobile phone and sandals.

"Zaki admitted at a trial to stealing 1 million Somali shilling, a mobile phone and sandals from a pharmacy and ordered the right hand of him to be cut off," said the judge, warning residents of theft.

A villager said Al-Shabaab court convicted him based on his alleged confession and the order was carried out on Saturday afternoon a public square in Kunyo-Barrow district.

The Islamist group which has been fighting for years to drive out AU peacekeepers, topple Somalia’s Western-backed government carries out executions, floggings, and amputations after summary trials.

Early this month, Al-Shabab has executed a 95-year-old Somali elder by firing squad in the town of Gamboole located in Middle Shabelle region for allegedly taking part in 2016 parliamentary election.

Despite losing large swathes of Somalia, including Mogadishu since 2011, the extremists continue to pose a formidable threat with bombings in Somalia and neighboring Kenya.

GAROWE ONLINE