Two government soldiers were sentenced to death by a military court on Monday for looting businesses in Bakara Market, which was taken over this weekend following the withdrawal of militant Islamist group al-Shabaab.
The government is trying to crack down on looting and indiscipline in the armed forces – an issue brought to stark prominence on Friday when soldiers killed seven internally displaced people as they looted humanitarian aid from a camp in Mogadishu.
According to the military court, Barre Ibraahim Mohamed and Abdullahi Omar Abdow (center in picture), looted a spare parts' store in the market when government forces entered to take over vacated insurgent positions.
“We will take hard decisions over our soldiers, as we have already promised to deal with every soldier who is founded guilty like this,” chairman of the army’s courts, Hassan Mohamed Hussein Mungab, said.
Civilians have expressed concern that looting will rise now that al-Shabaab has left the capital, as the government forces, which also include many militia loyal to various warlords, are far less disciplined than the insurgents.
One other soldier was sentenced to life in prison, while the case facing a fourth was postponed.
