Sun 09 October 2022:
The government of Somalia has threatened to punish anyone who publishes what it views as propaganda for the armed group al-Shabab and has announced a crackdown on media outlets that do so.
The armed forces supported by regional militias and foreign allies, have launched a fierce offensive against the armed group al-Shabab.
“I want to inform the Somali media and all Somali people in general that we will regard all al-Shabab related propaganda coverage – including their terrorist acts and their ideology – as punishable crimes,” Deputy Minister for Information, Culture and Tourism Abdirahman Yusuf said on Saturday.
“The Somali government is totally banning all kinds of coverage relating to the terrorist ideology and acts of intimidation by [al-Shabab],” he told reporters.
The government also launched cyber-operations against “terrorist accounts” on social media and suspended more than 40 on Facebook and Twitter, Yusuf said.
After numerous deadly attacks, newly elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud vowed to defeat the armed group.
After numerous deadly attacks, newly elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud vowed to defeat the armed group.
Al-Shabab fighters besieged a hotel for 30 hours in August, during which time 21 people were killed.
African Union troops expelled the armed group from Mogadishu in 2011. It still has control over large areas of the countryside, though.
The deadliest attack occurred in October 2017 in Mogadishu when a truck full of explosives exploded, killing 512 people.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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