Somali Forces Kill Al-Shabaab Tax Chief in Major Raid

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Somali National Army (SNA) killed a top Al-Shabaab taxation chief, who has been coordinating extortion within Toratorow town of Lower Shabelle region, in one of the most successful raids by the special forces pursuing the militants in the country.

The special forces killed Abdullahi Mohamed alias Arab after months of trial. During the raid, his motorcycle was dismembered, with money was also seized by the special forces known as Danab, trained by the US Africa Command.

Multiple sources confirmed that Mohamed had served as Al-Shabaab’s head of Zakawaat in Lower Shabelle region, overseeing the group’s extortion system that has long preyed on farmers, traders, and vulnerable rural communities.

“His removal is a significant blow to Al-Shabaab’s financial network in the region. He was one of the key operatives terrorizing locals through illegal taxation and intimidation,” a military spokesperson said.

The US Africa Command and the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Forces have been working closely with the Somali National Army in the war against the militants who control large swathes of rural central and southern regions.

The group mainly survives through illegal taxation, but the government has issued a strong warning to businesses that support the militants. According to experts, Alshabaab collects up to $120 million annually, which is used to pay fighters and purchase weapons.

“This operation wasn’t just about killing one man,” the official added. “It’s about breaking the chain of fear that Al-Shabaab has wrapped around our people for too long.”

Most recently, Al-Shabaab seized strategic towns of Moqokori and Adan Yabaal, but there are deliberate efforts to kick the militants out. The Somali government has insisted that the group has lost significant portions over the last three years.

GAROWE ONLINE