Leyla Omar Barud, is the wife foreign fighter of the Al-Shabab extremist group linked to Al-Qaeda. Her role was to recruit teenagers, especially women, children, and teenage girls, and convince them to carry out extremist violence in the community.
Over six years, she had been calling the youth to join and liberate the country from the invaded enemies from outside as clear her slogs. Unfortunately, she managed to grab an extremist trap of a hundred people who admired her messages blindly.
The unemployment rate in Somalia is high (20.05 percent, 2022), which helps Leyla take a position to gain much energetic youth – ready to fight and cause insecurity and threat in the capital and other cities – her journey has led many youths to carry out deadly attacks in Mogadishu and other regions.
The mother of two children believes that there is no government in Somalia nevertheless ready to blow herself up in an attempt to wipe out the enemies as she said in an interview after National Intelligence and Security Agency captured her in Abdi Aziz District.
She was traveling to Jilib district in the Middle Jubba region where her husband who is from Ethiopia is based as well.
Fadumo Nur was persuaded to join Al Shabab terrorist group in 2007. She had been participating in assassination attempts together with her husband and members of the militias. Her role was keeping and transferring guns and weapons such as pistols in Mogadishu villages.
She has a crucial role in this mission. She used to carry bombs into the areas designated to take place the planned homicide. She was numerously involved in the killings of innocent people – shifting positions and places at any given time.
The group has promoted the leading and networking roles to the women exclusively who live in the regions of Lower Shabelle, Middle Shabelle, and Banaadir. It results from recruiting over 50 young girls into extremist fighters.
She started a business that generates big revenue for the militants. This idea is not just namely business but a footstep eraser to not recognize as well. Fadumo neglected the responsibility of her six children. They live alone with relative family.
After eight years, she decided to quit the job after her husband was murdered by Al- Shabab after being accused of spying on their inside and having a secret relationship with the Somali government. She has begun to find any strategy which helps to surrender.
Months later, she dared to escape from the areas under the group’s control after legging 60 km. She switched and threw her cellphone number. This lady regrets her previous acts of brutality that left the death of civilians and government officials.
Normally, women are not expected to handle such kind of tasks but Extremist groups like Al-Shabab hire large numbers in order to facilitate recruiting new fighters. They are also reported to have married women just to remain or pretend original residents.
Writer: Mohamud A. Mohamed
