01 January - Source: Somali Update - 275 Words In one of its latest atrocities against Somalis, the Al-Shabaab militant group has executed five young men for allegedly spying for United States and the Federal Government of Somalia. This is according to locals and a host of websites associated with the terror gang. The five young men, who are aged between 19 and 22 years, were caught and detained by members of the militant group in Saakow, a town in Middle Jubba Region controlled by the group.

The young men were all executed at a public place, where residents had been ordered to gather and witness the execution: "We were told by Al-Shabaab to gather in the city centre. I had know idea what was going to happen, but soon we saw five blindfolded young men dragged to the scene," said a resident in Saakow who spoke to Somali Update but declined to be named for security reasons. One of the five men, who was accused of working with the American government, was publicly slaughtered.

"It was very terrible sight. I witnessed that chilling moment when the Al-Shabaab men caught one of the men and chopped off his head like a goat," the traumatized eyewitness added. According to a pro-Al Shabaab website, the five men were accused of spying on the terror gang and tried in Saakow by an Al-Shabaab judge. The website published the names of the five men and their ages.

There were neither defence lawyers nor relatives present for the victims. Al-Shabaab has previously executed Somali men and women for allegedly collaborating with or spying for Federal government and western intelligence agencies. Only last week, the group publicly executed two government officials, whom they termed as 'apostates' -- a terminology that refers to employees of the Somali government.