Mogadishu-Al-Shabaab militants on Tuesday abducted 70 elders from areas between Guri’el and Mataban towns in Galgudud and Hiiraan regions in central Somalia,
Galmudug State president, Ahmed Duale Gale said that the terrorist militants took the elders to Elbur town, a stronghold for the group in Galgudud region. Al-Shabaab militants often demand from locals to contribute boys to join them in the wrong, misled Jihad against the Somali Government and the African Union Peacekeeping Troops in Somalia.
The militants also collect annual taxes. Zakawat from residents under their control by force, but consecutive unaffordable demands from the group sometimes cause resistance made by the locals in Hiiraan, Galgudud and Mudug regions in recent. Galmudug State officials say they are ready to support locals fighting with Al-Shabaab militants. Such abduction becomes a large number of elders kidnapped once by the militants so far.