Somalia executes four it says were al Shabaab fighters behind 2016 attack

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - A military court in Somalia has executed four men it said were al Shabaab militants who were behind a 2016 attack that killed 80 people, a military officer said on Tuesday. The four men were executed in Baidoa, which lies about 245 km (150 miles) northwest of Mogadishu, on Monday. The same court executed on Tuesday a policeman who was accused of killing a civilian and wounding the victim's two sons, officials said. "Yesterday, four militants who had been behind blasts were executed. More men accused of being al Shabaab members will be executed today or tomorrow," Major Nur Aden, a military officer in Baidoa, told Reuters. In Tuesday's execution, Ali Buubo Mohamed, a policeman, was shot by a firing squad after he was found guilty of killing Kassim Abdi and injuring his sons. He was sentenced to death last November. Mumin Hussein Abdullahi, the deputy prosecutor of the court, confirmed that execution. The four militants were found guilty of being responsible for twin blasts in Baidoa in February 2016, resulting in 80 deaths. Al Shabaab often carries out such attacks in the capital and elsewhere in its bid to topple Somalia's government and to drive out African Union peacekeeping troops. The al Qaeda-linked group wants to impose its harsh version of Islamic rule in Somalia. (Reporting by Abdi Sheikh; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Alison Williams)