Somali court sentences 43 al-Shabaab militants to death

A court in northern Somalia town of Garowe has sentenced 43 al-Shabaab militants to death.

The prosecutor of the court said the militants who were arrested during the heavy clashes in Puntland early this year have been in prison for the past three months.

According to local media, the militants were members of al-Shabaab, an organisation of Sunni extremists that has been fighting for the domination of Somalia for years.

#Puntland military court sentences 43 #Shabab fighters to death over their involvement of Suuj clashes in #Puntland admin #Somalia

— Bashiir Mah'ud (@BashiirMohamud1) June 18, 2016

The sentenced militants were part of 97 members captured in northern parts of the country. The defendants were given one month to appeal.

This is the biggest number of Al-shabaab members in history sentenced to death at one time. 13 Al-shabaab fighters were sentenced to death and shot by a firing squad in Puntland state in 2013.

Somalia has been mired in an armed conflict with Islamist militants for two decades. The country’s government relies heavily on the African Union’s peacekeepers for protection.

Agencies