The Puntland military court handed down a death sentence to Abdisalan Sahal Shuayb on Thursday.
Shuayb was found guilty of being associated with the notorious terrorist group Al-Shabaab and actively participating in the brutal beheadings of 15 individuals in Galkayo between 2017 and 2023.
Shuayb, a key member of Al-Shabaab’s execution squad, played a pivotal role in identifying and targeting victims for the group’s heinous acts.
Among the victims were peacekeepers, army officers, and other government officials. Exploiting his position as a well-known taxi driver and broker, he utilized his community connections to further Al-Shabaab’s operations.
During the trial proceedings, Shuayb admitted to his involvement in the killings, revealing that four of the victims were Al-Shabaab scouts. He claimed that his cooperation was coerced under the group’s intimidation tactics. However, his arrest in 2022 by Puntland security forces firmly linked him to Al-Shabaab’s most recent wave of violence in the region.
Al-Shabaab, a militant group, has been responsible for numerous terrorist acts in Somalia, including targeted assassinations and raids on civilian and government targets. The group’s activities have inflicted immense suffering and instability in the region, posing a severe threat to peace and security.
The sentencing of Abdisalan Sahal Shuayb echoes the determination of the Puntland military court to hold individuals accountable for their involvement in acts of terror.
