Puntland State of Somalia has begun the trial of more than 100 Al-Shabaab militants. Three months ago, the region foiled the militant group’s plan to form a local base. Forty-three have already been sentenced to death after admitting to being members. This was the scene in March, as Puntland forces battled hundreds of militants in a week-long offensive, 173 militants were killed; almost 100 others were captured.
The prisoners were mostly young children—inexperienced and, from the interviews, some say they were kidnapped by Al-Shabaab and forced to join the militant group. But a military court in Puntland region has sentenced 43 militants to death; the regional administration also said that 54 others were minors. The trial took place in Garowe, the administrative capital of the Puntland state, and experts warn that the absence of the media in the trial will raise serious questions.
“A lot of questions will be raised by he international human rights organizations. Various rights groups will condemn this trial and execution. Considering the fact that most of those arrested were young inexperienced fighters, the due process of the law has to be followed and the media has to be present for fairness and equality,” said Sharif Hussein Robow, security analyst. Al-Shabaab has in the past years waged a campaign against Puntland—its fighters remained holed up in the Galgala Mountains—it has now pledged allegiance to ISIL.