MOGADISHU, Somalia – The National Intelligence and Security Agency [NISA] said it has arrested 25 people, including young boys, who were planning to join Al-Shabaab.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, NISA said a minibus carrying the recruits near Afgoye town and arrested the driver and two accomplices, who are currently under interrogation.
The spy agency did not provide more information about the interceptions.
The government had already said that more than 10 thousand Al-Shabaab members were killed in the battles in Galmudug and Hirshabelle states, where SNA regained territories.
During the offensive, the government said many fighters surrendered to the army after ditching Al-Shabaab in the Southwest and Galmudug regional states since last year.
Al-Shabaab has been accused of child soldiers recruited every year, who are forcibly taken away from their parents, to participate in attacks against government forces and ATMIS.
Somalia is currently at war with Al-Shabaab, a group that merged with Al-Qaeda in 2012.
