Security forces in Kismayo, a city in southern Somalia, have confiscated hundreds of Islamic face veils from female residents, according to the city’s police chief, Warsame Ahmed Gelle.
Speaking to state TV, Gelle stated that the authorities are conducting operations to “fight” the use of niqabs, the veils that cover the entire face except for the eyes.
The crackdown is driven by concerns that jihadists might use niqabs to conceal their identities and carry out attacks, Gelle explained.
Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group, controls large parts of southern and central Somalia and has waged a violent insurgency against the UN-backed Somali government for nearly two decades.
On Friday, dozens of people were killed in an attack at a popular beachfront location in Mogadishu, the capital.
In Kismayo, officers have been stopping women on the streets, confiscating their niqabs, and forcing them to remove the garment since last Wednesday, Gelle said. Women caught wearing the niqab face jail or fines.
Kismayo and its surrounding areas in the state of Jubaland are among the few places where authorities can enforce the ban, as al-Shabab controls much of southern Somalia.
The niqab ban was initially introduced in 2013 due to security concerns but was rarely enforced.
Niqabs are considered a symbol of modesty in Islam, a religion practiced by 99% of Somalia’s population, according to government statistics.
While many Somali women wear the niqab, Gelle noted that its popularity has increased recently. However, most Somali women still prefer the hijab, which covers the hair but not the face.
The police reported that at least 37 people were killed in Friday’s beachfront attack, with several others wounded.
Al-Shabab, which claimed responsibility for the attack, stated that the death toll and injuries are higher than the official figures. The Somali military recently killed dozens of jihadist fighters in Jubaland, raising the possibility of reprisal attacks.
Source-BBC
