At least 10 former Al-Shabaab militants were reported to have escaped from a rehabilitation center in Garowe-the capital of Puntland state, a semi-autonomous region located in the northeastern region of Somalia.
The under-age ex-militants who evaded justice were detained at a center located in the city, run by Abdifitah Sugulle, a close ally to Puntland President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali “Gaas”.
Open source reports indicate that, Sugulle received first installment of close to $500,000 to run a rehabilitation center, to provide psychological counseling to about 40 captured Al-Shabaab child soldiers to facilitate their reintegration into local communities.
UNICEF staff in Garowe are said to have helped Sugulle who is also a local businessman tasked with the programme to rehabilitate dozens of fighters captured in March 2016 by Puntland army during counter-offensive against Al-Shabaab fighters in Suuj and Gara’ad towns.
Residents of Garowe have expressed fear about the Al-Shabaab militants being held in the center, that is protected by police officers and presidential guards, as it is located too close to residential areas.
State Police Officials say a major search was launched after militants from different regions of Somalia were reported missing from the rehabilitation center at the heavily fortified compound.
Puntland President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali previously has been criticized of freeing several dangerous combatants and middle-level commanders’ majority convicted of killings and conducting attacks from the jails. Some of the released militants had received death sentence for their heinous killings.
