Afgoye (Sunatimes) Al-Shabaab rebel group in Afgoye town, Lower Shabelle, on Tuesday publicly flogged a teenage girl after a rebel court found her guilty of allegedly engaging in an “illegal engagement” with a man, reports say.

Amina Osman Hassan, 15, received 100 lashes in public for allegedly eloping with a man, Mohamed Farah, and getting engaged with him without the consent of her parent.

She was also accused of sleeping with the man after the engagement.

Reports say an Al-Shabaab leader told a crowd of people who were dragooned into watching the event that Hassan illegally eloped with the man while she was already engaged with another man who has not yet arranged the wedding ceremony.

The militant leader also nullified the engagement.

Reports say Farah was to receive 30 lashes but rebel court immediately reversed the ruling after rebel linked elders negotiated with the group.

By Hawo Abdulle