Daily Nation – MOGADISHU, Thursday

A Somali legislator who hails from Lower Shabelle region has denied that Al-Shabaab, the Islamist movement opposing the Government of National Unity, has recently beheaded a man from Jamama district, 460 km south of Mogadishu.

In an statement to the media, Abdullahi Ebyan, a member of Somalia’s 550 member legislative house, argued that Al-Shabaab’s recent claim that its fighters captured a militiaman from Jamama district and then beheaded him was not true.

MP Ebyan argued that the beheading took place, but the act was performed on a dead man. He insisted that the fighters of Al-Shabaab went to a location called Bulo Ba’id and collected a dead body of a man just before burial from the area and were photographed while beheading.

“I am from Jamama district and I have the right information that Al-Shabaab beheaded a dead man,” argued MP Abdullahi Ebyan. “Their intention is to scare the population in the area,” he added.

Earlier on, the head of the Al-Shabaab administration in Jamama district, Sheikh Ahmedey Ali Baba, told the media that his fighters captured one of the militiamen who opposed his rule, brought him to Jamama town and beheaded him in public.

“The man was fit and alive at the time we apprehended,” said Sheikh Ali Baba. “The beheading is meant to teach a lesson to other unruly guys,” he added.

Local militia and Al-Shabaab fighters fought in late March and early April over control of areas, including Bulo Ba’id village. The most recent clash occurred on Sunday, April 5.

Unarmed civilians in the affected areas are scared by the repeated confrontations that may lead to endless clashes, especially if it involves followers of Ahlu Sunna wal-Jamea, a sect fervidly opposing Al-Shabaab in a number of regions in Southern and Central Somalia. According to Xog-ogaal, a local newspaper in Mogadishu, many people in the areas surrounding Jamama town have started to complain of the hostilities.

Meanwhile, Al-Shabaab officials in Beled-Hawo town at the border between Somalia and Kenya closed down a local FM radio this morning. The Director of Mandeeq FM Radio, Hassan Mohamed Halane informed the media that Al-Shabaab officials ordered the closure of the station.

“We are going to discuss with Al-Shabaab officials on how to resume the broadcasting service to the community,” said the radio director. However, preliminary information from Beled-Hawo town indicate that the FM Radio will not be broadcasting in the coming 24 hours and will only be allowed when its management produce an acceptable radio programme.