Al-Shabaab Expands Tax Collection Operations Between Balcad and Jowhar, Tightening Control Over Movement and Economic Activity

Al-Shabaab Expands Tax Collection Operations Between Balcad and Jowhar, Tightening Control Over Movement and Economic Activity

Jowhar (WDN) — Al-Shabaab militants have intensified their tax collection operations in communities commuting between Balacd and Jowhar, the capital of Hirshabelle State, exploiting seasonal flooding and deteriorating road conditions to reassert their presence in areas that government forces have recently claimed to control. The development highlights a troubling reality facing Somalia: while political leaders in Mogadishu remain consumed by dis…