(20 Apr 2025) MOGADISHU (Halqabsi News) – Al-Shabaab militants who seized control of Aadan-Yabaal district in the Middle Shabelle region on Wednesday have reportedly committed horrific atrocities against civilians, including beheadings, sexual violence, and looting, targeting residents previously associated with government forces.
Local sources confirmed to Halqabsi News that at least eight civilians were executed—five of them women—following a brutal campaign in which the women were reportedly raped, detained for hours, and robbed of all their belongings. Many of the victims had been running businesses such as restaurants, khat kiosks, laundries, and garages that served Somali National Army personnel.
Eyewitnesses described the victims as among the most active and well-known residents of Aadan-Yabaal, with no known criminal affiliations. The attacks appeared to be acts of retaliation against those who had cooperated with the government and welcomed federal troops during previous operations.
Reports also indicate that the group used local informants to identify and betray civilians with ties to the government. Nearly 10 other individuals remain in Al-Shabaab custody, facing similar risks. According to residents, some of the women assaulted were pregnant, and the psychological trauma in the community is profound.
Al-Shabaab’s actions starkly contradict its prior public declarations of avoiding harm to civilians. “These crimes should leave no doubt about the group’s true nature,” said a local elder who fled the town. “This is a wake-up call to anyone thinking they can be spared by siding with them.”
The killings in Aadan-Yabaal serve as yet another grim reminder of Al-Shabaab’s brutal tactics. The district had been under government control since late 2022 before it fell to the group last week following a surprise attack.
Halqabsi News
