Somali army rescues 33 hostages from Al-Shabab

On Friday, Somali National Commandos made a spectacular assault on Al-Shabab’s indoctrination center in Kuntuwaaray, Lower Shabelle where 33 children were held hostage by Al Shabab.

There was no report of children casualties during the military operation. However, Somali army killed four members of Al-Shabab; among the dead were senior members of the group.

Families were forced to release their children to Al-Shabaab for fear that the militant group might kill them if they display any show of resistance.

Neither the government nor the military spokesperson stated if the children had been reunited with families or if they will be taken to a safe haven for rehabilitation before being returned to their families.

Al-Shabab not only relies on the few volunteers from locals and the foreigners who travel to the areas under their control in Somalia, but they also run massive centres for both orphans and non-orphans to radicalise and prepare them as ‘reservists’ and future generation jihadists.

With improvements in security as Al-Shabab’s continues to lose its core leaders, bomb makers, and territories, Somalia government is trying to reestablish the normalcy and semblance of law and order that has evaded much of Southern Somalia since the ouster of Barre’s military regime, which was almost three decades ago.