During a military operation in the Lower Shabelle region on Saturday, Somali security forces dismantled several al-Shabab courts, targeting the group’s illegal judicial systems and unauthorized checkpoints.
The coordinated operation involved Somali police, military, and intelligence units at Ali Mahdi Park, Balad Amin, and nearby areas where al-Shabab had set up courts.
Security officials reported that the extremist group used these tribunals to summon and intimidate local residents.
“We have demolished the group’s sham courts established in these areas. They will no longer be able to set up such courts in the future,” a government official told state media.
The government reassured the public that legitimate courts would deliver justice and encouraged citizens to trust the established judicial system.
“The Khawarij’s fake courts will not reopen here. I urge the public to seek justice through the proper legal channels,” said an officer.
This action follows a similar campaign last year by the Somali National Army’s 14th October Brigade, which destroyed al-Shabab courts and checkpoints in the Lower Shabelle region, where the group had been extorting local residents.