Saturday 15, Febr,2025 {HMC} Ma’awisley local defense forces have captured Mohamed Rashid Abdi Hussein, the former chairman of the Ganuribad area in the Hiiraan region, who was found carrying Al-Shabaab-issued receipts used for extortion.
The arrest took place on Saturday in El-Hero, a locality under the Mahaas district.
The receipts seized from the suspect are typically used by Al-Shabaab to impose illegal taxation on businesses and vehicles traveling through their areas of control. Authorities confirmed that Hussein has been detained in a Mahaas district prison, where he remains under investigation.
The Deputy Security Commissioner of Mahaas stated that an inquiry is underway to determine the full extent of Hussein’s involvement with the militant group.
“We are conducting investigations into this man. What was seized from him were receipts that Al-Shabaab used to extort money from people and vehicles. The local force received intelligence about him and arrested him. I will present the investigation results soon,” the official said.
Ma’awisley forces have ramped up operations against Al-Shabaab in recent weeks as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt the group’s revenue streams and weaken its influence in the Hiiraan region.
