The Somali National Army’s 5th battalion of the 27th division arrested six traditional elders in Hiiraan region on Monday. The men were accused of entering into an agreement with Al Shabaab.
The elders were accused of violating the federal government’s directive not to contact or cooperate with Al Shabaab.
These elders were arrested for dealing with the Al-Shabaab group and travelling to areas under the group’s control in west Beledweyne. According to the military, the elders agreed with Al Shabaab to withdraw their clan forces from the Al Shabaab offensive.
Government forces arrested some elders in a planned operation in the Hiiraan’s Halgan district, while others were said to be nabbed in Beledweyne.
On Sunday, the military court sentenced three traditional clan elders to a five-year prison sentence for cooperating with Al Shabaab.
The traditional elders, Omar Mohamed Jimale Adan (Omar Faninte), Ali Ahmed Hayle Araalle (Ali Yare) and Sugaal Warsame Ali Yarow, were arrested in late December after defying a government directive not to contact or cooperate with Al Shabaab militants.
The three men travelled to the Haradhere district – then an Al Shabaab stronghold – and signed an eight-point agreement with the militants.
One of the agreements was to oppose the Somali government’s military offensive against Al Shabaab.
