Hiiraan Online
Thursday, September 3, 2015
MOGADISHU (HOL) ----The Al-Qaeda linked militants have warned against immoral’ culture at hotels and beaches in the Somali capital, in an apparent reference to the city’s entertainment spots where hundreds of young teens come to hang out in the seaside city.
Despite security challenges, Mogadishu has seen an economic renaissance, boosted by a construction boom and a relative stability, thanks to the African Union and Somali troops who ousted militants in 2011.
Encouraged by the new progress, Mogadishu investors have set up outing spots to fulfill teens’ demand for leisure, offering live night-time music events.
Sheikh Ali Mohamed Hussein, a senior Al-Shabab official in charge of the group’s insurgency in the Somali capital warned his fighters would target the ‘indecorous’ hotels and beaches, accusing some hoteliers of leading ‘wicked’ culture for the society.
“We are committed in wiping out that immoral culture – therefore be warned that we shall never stay silent on that,” he told militants-run radio.
“We are calling for Muslims to stay away from those places.”
Hussein has referred gender mix-ups at beaches and hotel as a source of new ‘indelicate’ culture which he said may lead to a divine devastation.
“Anyone found staying in such places will be considered as an enemy and would not get away with it.” He said.
Despite losing most of their key strongholds, al-shabab continues bombings, assassinations and attacks against the Somali government and African Union forces.
The group’s fighters have launched a complex attack on an African Union base in Janale town on Tuesday, killing ‘scores’ of soldiers and looted the base.