Somalia: Teenage 'elopers' publicly flogged in central province

Mogadishu, 23 Nov (AKI) - Islamist militiamen on Tuesday in central Somalia publicly flogged two teenagers who tried to elope together, Radio Shabelle reported. Tribal elders sentenced the teenagers to 12 lashes each. The pair, whose ages were not stated, had tried to marry secretly without their parents' consent, Radio Shabelle said.

The youngsters were flogged on their backs in the central square in the village of Jalalaqsi in Hiran province, according to Radio Shabelle.

In October, Islamist militants shot dead two adolescents accused of spying for the transitional government in Mogadishu, the radio station said.

The Al-Qaeda affiliated Islamist Al-Shabab controls much of southern Somalia. Al-Shabab appears to have consolidated its position as the most powerful insurgent group by driving its main rival, Hizbul Islam, out of the southern port city of Kismayo in October 2009.

Since then they have openly declared their alliance with Al-Qaeda and have been steadily moving their forces northwards towards Mogadishu, the Somali capital.

Somalia has been without an effective central government since 1991.