Reliable sources and residents confirmed to Somalia Report that the Somali militant group of al-Shabaab closed ten Koranic Schools on Saturday and arrested five teachers in Afgoye village in Lower Shabelle region.
“Al-shabaab closed the schools in the area and our children now stay at home," said Mohamed Ga’al, a parent in Afgoye.
According to residents the cause of the schools closure is due to teachers’ refusal to enlist their students for military training in the face of Shabaab’s loss of strategic towns and positions to allied forces.
“They want to recruit children since they have lost many strategic places and the teachers refused to follow the orders,” one of the Koranic School teachers said to Somalia Report on condition of anonymity.
“Five of my colleagues are in jail and I am in hiding,” said another teacher who escaped arrest by militants after they surrounded the school where he teaches.
According to the teachers more than 1,500 children will be out of school.
Al-Shabaab wants to put the school children through a mandatory 20 days military training and then redeploy them to the front lines as fighters and martyrs, a witness confirmed to Somalia Report.
“We value our Koranic schools and are unhappy about the arrest of our respected teachers. We urge Al-shabaab to release the teachers and reopen the schools,” said Amina Mo’alim one of the mothers.
“Forcing the children to fight at the front lines is what the al-Shabaab are known for. We are very sorry to hear that they are trying to recruit our children. This is an unfortunate matter because they are in their final days and lack power. They have lost a lot of ground in the war,” added Ismahan Ali, another parent in Afgoye.
Al-shabaab had previously met with school teachers and discussed issues related to child soldering. Some of the teachers refused to follow the demands of al-Shabaab while others accepted.
Teachers report that Sheikh Bashir, the District Commissioner of Afgoye expressed these demands in the meeting.
“I want a list of students names and age from every teacher. Those who are above 15 years must be enlisted and should take part in the Jihad. Anyone who refuses to perform this duty will meet due punishment,” he decreed.
Somalia Report has learned that Ali Jibriil, Mohamed Sheikh and Osman Hilowle are among the five arrested teachers.