A government-allied Somali militia killed at least 45 al Shabaab fighters 

A government-allied Somali militia claimed to have killed at least 45 al Shabaab fighters and beheaded some of them, as locals in central regions of the country increasingly take up arms against the insurgents.

The beheadings followed a battle in the Hiran region of Hirshabelle State, where there has been significant fighting this month between al Shabaab and newly expanded militias allied with the federal government. Alshabab has not yet responded to this claim by the government-allied militia.

Al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked Islamist group, has been fighting Somalia’s weak central government since 2006. It wants to implement a strict interpretation of sharia law.

Al Shabaab has increasingly burned houses, destroyed wells, and beheaded civilians in the Hiran region, residents say; that, combined with its demands for taxes amidst the worst drought in 40 years, has pushed more residents to take up arms.

Videos widely shared on Telegram showed at least two beheaded alleged al Shabaab fighters and dozens more dead bodies in fatigues and red-and-white checked scarves. Some of the dead appeared to have died in battle.

CBA TV was not independently able to verify the authenticity of the videos, but three witnesses told the local media that the beheadings were real. Seven other residents, including Abdulle, said family members had been present and confirmed the deaths to them. The three witnesses asked not to be named for security reasons.

Earlier this month, al Shabaab fighters killed at least 18 civilians and destroyed food aid trucks. In August, they killed more than 20 people in a hotel siege.

Somalia has been in civil war since 1991, when clan-based warlords overthrew a dictator then turned on each other.