The group, who were said to have been operating in Galkacyo in more than a decade were accused to have assassinated members of the armed forces, civil society including journalists and other members of the Puntland officials, according to Puntland officials and local media reports

Shortly after the opening of the court session, Major Awil Warsame Mohamed, the attorney general of the court of the armed forces of Mudug and Cayn said "I hereby present these five Shabab convicts in front of the first decree court of the armed forces in Galkacyo.

"Feisal Ahmed Bashiir known as Gujis, 31 yrs, live in Galkacyo as technician,Sahal Abdullahi Jama known as Abdirahman, 32 yrs, live in Galkacyo and works as a driver,  Idiris Mohamed Afyare, 25 yrs, live in Galkacyo and works as a shop owner, Salman Mohamud Saleban Abdulkadir Alfaarisi, 22 yrs, live in Galkacyo and works as a bakery owner Jama Muriidi Hussein Mohamed, 20 yrs, live in Galkacyo.” Major Awil Warsame Mohamed, the attorney general of the court of the armed forces of Mudug and Cayn said.

Colonel Ali Shire, the judge declared that all five men were found guilty in assassinations that took place in northern Galkacyo since 2008.

Federal government of Somalia and its federal member states sentence members of the Shabab death sentence and are later killed in firing squad. 

The death sentence comes only hours after Amnesty International released its global death penalty report 2020, though the number of executions dropped 2020 compared to 2019, according to the report.

Executions were recorded in three countries – Botswana, Somalia and South Sudan; one fewer compared with 2019, the report cited. 

This is the not the first time Puntland sentences Shabab members to death. In 2016, Puntland military court sentenced to 43 Shabab convicts to death,the largest death sentence recorded in a single day.

-Horn Observer -