MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Islamist militants killed Somalia’s deputy chief prosecutor and will target more judiciary staff while the government tries to reform the courts, a militant spokesman said on Friday.

The al Shabaab rebel group, which is linked to al Qaeda, has fought for six years to impose its strict interpretation of Islamic law, or sharia, on Somalia.

The shooting of Ahmed Sheikh Nur Maalin, Somalia’s deputy national prosecutor, on Thursday followed a wave of suicide bombings and shootings earlier this month in which 30 people were killed.

“It was part of our operation against courts and their men,” Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, spokesman for al Shabaab’s military operation, told Reuters. “We shall also kill the remaining one by one.”

The attacks were launched at a time when security in Mogadishu had been improving after two decades of civil war.

The government believes strengthening the rule of law and reforming the judiciary is vital but al Shabaab is determined to prevent it.

Donor countries are working with Somalia’s new government to reform the judiciary, the police and the army.

Britain will host an international conference in London on May 7 on ways to bolster security, impose the rule of law and rebuild the nation. So far there has been slow progress on all three areas.

Source: Reuters

1 COMMENT

  1. I'm sad to say, a Greater Somalia is long gone. Djibouti, Ogaden, Somaliland and Northern Kenya is a history. Somalia should insted focus on saving the beautiful city of Kismayo, before it goes the same way as Mandera and joins Kenya.

    Who said if you you blow yourself up and kill your brothers and sister you will end up in Jannah?
    My answer to overcome and redirect the minds from Al Shabab, Poverty, Extremism and Clansism is to pray. But even in prayers we can sometimes be sidetracked by our own thoughts. The reality is that as soon as we enter the state of prayers, various thoughts rush into our minds distracting us from the state of worship. These distractions also include satanic whispers, also referred to as “Shaytaan” and sometimes reach to a level where the act of worship fails to deliver any notable spiritual value. this lack of control on our thoughts and states of our minds not only deprives us from establishing a relationship with our creator but also prevents us from bringing calm to our nerves and lives in general. Saudi Shaytaan, poverty and lack of education leads to Extremism and Clansism.
    Perfecting wudu is key for perfecting your prayer, if one is heedless whilst making wudu then you will find yourself heedless in prayer, but if you concentrate whilst making wudu you will feel the difference and presence of heart in prayer. This was my diagnose and treatment for the Somali people. May Allah SWT guide all of us in right path. Ameen!

  2. If our people in Benadir and southern Somalia do not unite to eradicate the nihilist terrorists amongst them, crazy criminals like Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab will continue to kill with impunity and will enevitably boast that they will kill more innocent people one by one. How long will we act as a helpless victims? AMISOM and African troops will not liberate our country and protect our life and liberty. People in Mogadishu and most of the southern cities know who are the terrorists and where they do live? Let us claim back our land and dignity and unite against our enemies and their foreign jihadist allies to survive as people.

  3. These Al-Shaytans when defeated militarily have resulted in targeting civilians the desperation to be heard is real sigh!!