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Kismayo, Somalia (AHN) - Militants loyal to extremist group Al Shabaab set fire to more than 15 bags of green leaves of khat in southern Somalia, witnesses said Friday.


The sacks were in a car that was traveling through the Dhoobley district in the Lower Jubba region when it was seized by members of Al Shabaab. Hundreds of local inhabitants were called late Thursday to gather at a square in the district to watch the burning of the bags of khat, witnesses said, adding that the car was from Kenya and heading to the town of Kismayo.

One of the owners, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said the torched khat cost $1,000.

No comments on the incident were immediately available from Al Shabaab.

The consumption of khat is considered un-Islamic by some leaders of the group. Khat is a green leafy plant. Chewing the leaves releases an amphetamine-type stimulant.

Khat traders argue that the lives of hundreds of Somali families depend on the khat business. Dozens of flights leave Nairobi's major airports every day transporting burlap sacks filled with khat to Somalia in a trade that is worth about $300,000 a day, according to Kenya's National Agency for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse.

Trading khat has spread throughout Somalia over the last 19 years, a period in which the nation has been plunged into lawlessness and civil war



Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles ... z16Pyb294J

Should the income of somali families be destroyed in the name of a drug free somalia?

What do you think?

should america lift the ban on coke becouse its destroying the ecomony of the columbian coke traders and farmers..

abdisamad3 wrote:should america lift the ban on coke becouse its destroying the ecomony of the columbian coke traders and farmers..

abdisamad3 wrote:should america lift the ban on coke becouse its destroying the ecomony of the columbian coke traders and farmers..

abdisamad3 wrote:should america lift the ban on coke becouse its destroying the ecomony of the columbian coke traders and farmers..

Cocain is not part of american culture, and its very deadly. Beer is part of amerian culture and yet with all its consuqences its still legal and its a billion dollar industry, same thing with Europe. Khat is part of Somali culture, shouldnt it be legal then?

PS. I understand that al shabab does this because of religious reasons and not economic. I was just pointing out the fact that qat shouldnt be banned.

waaryaa take it easy

u can still chew your illegal khaat in europe

laakin somalia will be khaat free inshallah

Coeus wrote:

abdisamad3 wrote:should america lift the ban on coke becouse its destroying the ecomony of the columbian coke traders and farmers..

Cocain is not part of american culture, and its very deadly. Beer is part of amerian culture and yet with all its consuqences its still legal and its a billion dollar industry, same thing with Europe. Khat is part of Somali culture, shouldnt it be legal then?

PS. I understand that al shabab does this because of religious reasons and not economic. I was just pointing out the fact that qat shouldnt be banned.

There are allot of americans addicted to coke.so yes its part of the culture.

qoraxeey wrote:waaryaa take it easy

u can still chew your illegal khaat in europe

laakin somalia will be khaat free inshallah

How will you make sure of that?

abdisamad3 wrote:

Coeus wrote:

abdisamad3 wrote:should america lift the ban on coke becouse its destroying the ecomony of the columbian coke traders and farmers..

Cocain is not part of american culture, and its very deadly. Beer is part of amerian culture and yet with all its consuqences its still legal and its a billion dollar industry, same thing with Europe. Khat is part of Somali culture, shouldnt it be legal then?

PS. I understand that al shabab does this because of religious reasons and not economic. I was just pointing out the fact that qat shouldnt be banned.

There are allot of americans addicted to coke.so yes its part of the culture.

There are alot of Somalis addicted to alcohol in denmark, does that mean alcohol is part of Somali culture? What i mean when i say "part of culture" is when i speak of a socially accepted drug in a country.

qoraxeey wrote:waaryaa take it easy

u can still chew your illegal khaat in europe

laakin somalia will be khaat free inshallah

This terrorist are really destroying our culture......burning chat, destroying somali music, you cant watch, somali movies.....I hope somebody stops this idiots....

shidow1 wrote:This terrorist are really destroying our culture......burning chat, destroying somali music, you cant watch, somali movies.....I hope somebody stops this idiots....

Now the terrorists are destroying our culture, they are probably going to introduce opium, to please their Afghan masters

Good Job alsha baab!

They wounldn't want competition against their Opium imports from afganstan!

Mafia