Armed group al Shabaab has abducted over 50 livestock keepers from Jujule and Ganu-ribad villages of Mahas town in the Hiran region on Friday, locals confirmed.
Residents said the pastoralists were forcefully taken away from their homestead by the heavily armed fighters and drove them to an unknown location.
The incident followed after the abducted herders defied orders by the militant group following recent clan clashes in the area.
The fighters directed the leadership of both warring parties to facilitate the payment of blood money to affected families who lost their loved ones in the skirmishes.
Somali security forces are present in the nearby areas where the attack occurred but no official comment from regional officials in Hirshabelle state.
Al- Shabaab usually kidnaps herders who fail to pay Sakawat (charity) that they impose on the owners of the livestock but armed organized pastoralist has fought back the group rejecting the forceful extortion of their property.
Popularly known as Ma’awisley the armed livestock keepers have kept the fighters at bay mainly in the Middle Shabelle region.
