Al-Shabaab arrests locals for opposing child recruitment

– Al-Shabaab fighters have reportedly arrested five locals in Harardhere for refusing children to be recruited.

Recently, the group has been recruiting more children to fight in their ranks.

Heavily Al-Shabaab fighters stormed houses of local residents in and outside Harardhere and five locals over charges of disobeying the group’s order.

Last Al-Shabaab ordered elders, teachers in Islamic religious schools, and communities in rural areas of Galgaduud and Mudug region to provide hundreds of children or face attack.

Local journalists in the region say the five were accused of sending their children away from Al-Shabaab controlled areas.

Five people including two women were arrested in Harardhere town. They were accused of facilitating the escape of their children from areas under Al-Shabaab control.

The move comes less than three after locals and Al-Shabaab fighters in Mudug region following the acceleration of Al-Shabaab’s recruitment campaign taking children from their parents.

The clashes claimed lives of over seven people both sides.

Over the past decade, Al-Shabaab leaders have recruited thousands of children who have been indoctrinated and deployed to various battles.