Somali National Army on Tuesday arrested traditional elders for cooperating with Al-Shabaab in Beledweyne of Hiiraan region.
According to the military the traditional signed an agreement with the militant group.
The number of these arrested elders is said to be six people, who are said to have broken the order of the Somali government to not deal with the Al-Shabaab group which the federal government is fighting against.
These elders who were arrested for dealing with the Al-Shabaab organization recently went to areas in West Baledweyne that are controlled by the Shabaab, where the Shabaab entered into agreements to withdraw their community forces from fighting against the Al-Shabaab.
The armed forces have conducted a planned operation against these elders in villages under Halgan district in Hiran region. It was recently when the Somali Armed Forces Court sentenced Al-Shabaab elders to a 5-year prison sentence in Harardhere district of Mudug region.
This comes barely a week after the military court sentenced elders to 5 years in prison after reaching a deal with Al-Shabaab in the Harardhere district last year.
