Somali govt establishes hotline for reporting Al-Shabaab extortionists

The government has announced that it has established a hotline where citizens can report extortions by the Al-Qaeda-affiliated group, Al-Shabaab.

The authorities said callers are not required to provide their personal information, such as names or locations, pointing out that they will only be required to give information about the extortionist.

The step taken by the government commensurates with President Mohamud’s statement in the recent past that the terrorist group will not be defeated only through the army, but that other tactics have to be employed to eradicate the Al-Shabaab menace.

The new policy comes just days after the government announced a crackdown on Al-Shabaab financiers, warning that their businesses would be shut down and licenses revoked.

Extortion has been the main source of income for Al-Shabaab militants, who often starve communities and businessmen of cash. The Hiraal Institute, a group of security experts based in the capital, Mogadishu, revealed in 2020 that Al-Shabaab operates with a budget of up to $100 million annually and raised between $150 – $200 million in annual revenue from extortion, rivalling the government in tax collection efforts.

At the beginning of this month, authorities said they would launch an operation against social media networks airing the group’s propaganda, warning that stern action would be taken against the offenders.