Authorities in Somalia's Puntland region have executed 13 al-Shabab militants who were convicted on murder charges.
The 12 men and one woman were killed by firing squad, in secret, outside the town of Bosaso at 3 a.m. local time Tuesday.
The regional commissioner of military tribunals, Abdifatah Haji Adam, said in an interview with VOA's Somali Service the militants were convicted of killing a local religious scholar, regional lawmakers and security officials.
Somali, Ethiopian and African Union forces have pushed al-Shabab out of Somalia's major towns and cities but the al-Qaida-linked militant group remains active.
Two weeks ago, al-Shabab claimed responsibility for an attack in Mogadishu that killed more than 30 people. Some of the group's fighters have infiltrated the semi-autonomous Puntland region after al-Shabab's setbacks in the south.
The 12 men and one woman were killed by firing squad, in secret, outside the town of Bosaso at 3 a.m. local time Tuesday.
The regional commissioner of military tribunals, Abdifatah Haji Adam, said in an interview with VOA's Somali Service the militants were convicted of killing a local religious scholar, regional lawmakers and security officials.
Somali, Ethiopian and African Union forces have pushed al-Shabab out of Somalia's major towns and cities but the al-Qaida-linked militant group remains active.
Two weeks ago, al-Shabab claimed responsibility for an attack in Mogadishu that killed more than 30 people. Some of the group's fighters have infiltrated the semi-autonomous Puntland region after al-Shabab's setbacks in the south.
