The Alshabaab announced on Monday evening that it had executed seven men in a public square, accusing them of being spies for the United States, Kenya, and Somalia.Â
The executions took place in Jilib, a stronghold of the militant group and its de facto headquarters.
According to al-Shabaab’s media outlets, all seven men were executed on Monday evening in Jilib.
The group claimed that four of them were members of the Kenyan intelligence service, while another confessed to working for the American intelligence agency, the CIA.Â
The other two men were identified as a members of the Somali army. The men, ranging in age from 19 to 55, were shot in front of a crowd of onlookers.
Residents, speaking anonymously due to security concerns, reported that an al-Shabaab judge at the scene of the execution read out the charges against the men before their deaths.
The residents expressed shock and horror at the brutal event, highlighting the climate of fear and repression imposed by the extremist group.
The United States has played a key role in the fight against al-Shabaab, both within Somalia and beyond. Despite the withdrawal of US Africa Command troops, the US has remained engaged in counterterrorism efforts.
Previously, nearly 700 US soldiers were stationed in Somalia, with some involved in training the Danab Special Forces.
Al-Shabaab has a history of publicly executing individuals it accuses of spying for the Somali government or assisting in the fight against the group.Â