MOGADISHU: Two Somali soldiers sentenced to death for conspiring with extremist militant group Al-Shabab to assassinate a commander were executed on Monday, military court officials said.
The impoverished Horn of Africa nation is witnessing a rise in attacks by the Al-Qaeda-linked militia, fueling concerns of a jihadist resurgence.
The group has seized dozens of towns and villages in an offensive that has reversed nearly all of the gains the army made in 2022 and 2023.
A military court in the capital Mogadishu sentenced the two soldiers to death in August, after they were convicted of killing their battalion commander in July.
One was found to have received the explosive device, while the second placed it under the bed of their commander, before it was detonated remotely.
“They were executed today for their involvement in the assassination of Commander Aided Mohamed Ali,” prosecutor Hassan Siyad Mohamed said.
“Anyone found having links with the Kharijites and proven, one day God will expose you, and you will come out, and we will find you and execute you by firing squad,” said Liban Ali Yarrow, chairman of the supreme military court, using the term officials adopt to describe Al-Shabab.
Three Al-Shabab members found guilty last week of killing people in Mogadishu were executed by firing squad.
Somalia executes 2 soldiers convicted of helping Al-Shabab kill commander
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Somalia executes 2 soldiers convicted of helping Al-Shabab kill commander
- A military court in the capital Mogadishu sentenced the two soldiers to death in August, after they were convicted of killing their battalion commander in July
- One was found to have received the explosive device, while the second placed it under the bed of their commander, before it was detonated remotely
Sri Lanka doubles troops for flood disaster recovery
- Sri Lanka is expecting further heavy monsoon rains, topping 75 millimeters in many places, including the worst-affected central region, the Disaster Management Center said
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has doubled its military deployment to regions struck by a cyclone that has killed 635, sending tens of thousands of troops to help areas hit by a wave of destruction, the army said Monday.
More than 2 million people — nearly 10 percent of the population — have been affected by the disaster caused by Cyclone Ditwah, the worst on the island this century.
Sri Lanka is expecting further heavy monsoon rains, topping 75 millimeters in many places, including the worst-affected central region, the Disaster Management Center said. It has also issued warnings of further landslides.
“Given that mountain slopes are already saturated with rain water since last week, even slight showers could make them unstable again,” an official said, urging those evacuated from high-risk areas not to return.
The center has confirmed 635 deaths, with another 192 people unaccounted for since Nov. 27, when intense rains brought on by Cyclone Ditwah triggered landslides and floods.
The disaster management agency warned residents to “take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.”
Army chief Lasantha Rodrigo said 38,500 security personnel had been sent to boost recovery and clean-up operations in flood-affected and landslide-hit areas, nearly doubling the inital deployment.
“Since the disaster, security forces have been able to rescue 31,116 people who were in distress,” Rodrigo said in a pre-recorded statement.
Army spokesman Waruna Gamage said additional troops were deployed as the rescue efforts turned into a recovery operation.
