...... Somalia's version of the Taliban...Arabic for
students...
, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...
, a group that has been causing havoc in the country for almost 15 years.
The government officials said the elders will be charged with violation of the directive that bans close association with al-Shabaab, a measure that was taken to minimize interaction between members of the community and designated groups.
The elders are accused of traveling to the areas which are directly under the control of the al-Shabaab near Beledweyne, where the Death Eaters have bases. According to the military, the elders agreed with Al-Shabaab to withdraw their clan forces from the ongoing offensive.
For the last five months, the Somalia National Army has been pursuing al-Shabaab in central and southern regions, leading to massive successes. The Death Eaters have lost key towns to the national army and are enjoying support from the US Africa Command [AFRICOM] and the local militia.
The government said the military has killed over 1,000 Death Eaters while arresting several others in the process. The military will continue with the operation for the next months until all villages in the country are safer, SNA chief Gen Odowaa Yusuf Rageh said in a statement.
On Sunday, a Somali military court sentenced three elders named Omar Mohammed Jimale Adan [Omar Faninte], Ali Ahmed Hayle Araalle [Ali Yare], and Sugaal Warsame Ali Yarow to five years in prison for dealing with al-Shabaab in Harardhere, Galmudug
...a semiautonomous region in central Somalia, bordering Puntland on the north. Galmudug is not trying to obtain international recognition as a separate nation, but rather considers itself autonomous within the larger Somali federalism, for what that's worth...
State.
They were arrested in late December after defying a government directive not to contact or cooperate with Al-Shabaab Death Eaters.
Community elders are regarded as very important operatives in Somalia's culture and even governance, and the administration regularly consults them on a number of issues. In fact, the elders at times negotiate on behalf of the government whenever the Death Eaters kidnap innocent civilians.
Importantly, the elders have been choosing leaders in clan-based elections. However,
corruption finds a dozen alibis for its evil deeds...
Somalia is striving to embrace universal suffrage elections which will see the country elect leaders directly for the first time in decades. al-Shabaab has been dislodged from critical towns across the country.