Al-Shabaab uses rape as weapon against Somali government

A Somali news portal said on February 26 that a girl was abducted in the town of Galkayo, Puntland, in central Somalia.

Hana Mohamed, 14, disappeared three days ago. Her family called on Galkayo residents to help them find their missing daughter. Hana was not the first girl to disappear from the town. A few days earlier, a 13-year-old girl named Aisha Ilyes Aden also disappeared.

Her family was also searching for her. On Monday, Aisha was found dead after being raped by Al-Shabaab movement. Aisha Ilyes Aden was abducted at a market in northern Puntland's Galkayo town on Sunday.

Her family called on Galkayo’s authorities to arrest those responsible for the brutal crime, pointing out that members of Al-Shabaab movement are behind the killing and rape of their daughter.

Meanwhile, Ahmed Osman, head of Galkayo’s police department, instructed the security forces to detain the criminals behind the rape and killing.

In 2017, a 15-year-old girl was raped by 12 members of Al-Shabaab movement in the north of Galkayo.  Three Al-Shabaab members raped another girl in the town.

Ahmed Askar, an expert on African affairs, said that members of the terrorist Al-Shabaab movement simply want to satisfy their hidden desires through raping young girls.

Askar told THE REFERENCE that Al-Shabaab members draw on rape as card against the Mogadishu federal government and carry out terrorist attacks while the security forces are busy with such rape cases.