Somalia: Kidnapped aid workers reportedly released July 24 /update 1

Event

Local sources reported on Monday, July 24, that Al-Shabaab has released six Somali aid workers and their driver after receiving ransom payments. According to sources, Al-Shabaab held a sham trial for the workers and sentenced each hostage to a payable fine before they could be released. The driver was sentenced to pay either an AK47 assault rifle or the equivalent cost of around USD 1000, while the vehicle owner was fined four AK47 rifles or USD 4000. Each aid worker had to pay a USD 2000 fine.

Context

The aid workers are employees of the Gargaar Relief and Development Organization (GREDO) and were abducted on July 15 in the vicinity of the village of Daynuunay, located on the outskirts of Baidoa, Bay region. GREDO has been implementing a nutrition project in the areas surrounding Baidoa for several months to counter the effects of the ongoing drought. Al-Shabaab has targeted aid workers in the past in order to extract ransom payments. On July 21, suspected militants kidnapped three Somali female staff reportedly employed by a mine-clearing NGO in the northern Hiraan region.

Al-Shabaab continues to control large zones in the south and center of the country. The group often targets government officials and military infrastructure in a bid to topple the Western- and United Nations-backed government and impose its own strict interpretation of Islam in Somalia. It is also responsible for a number of attacks and kidnappings targeting humanitarian organizations operating in the country.

Advice

Due to the high threat of terrorism, individuals present throughout the country are advised to avoid government and institutional buildings as well as political events due to Al-Shabaab's tendency to target political figures and security forces. Because of extremely poor security conditions, travel should only be considered with appropriate security precautions in place.