Jowhar (Sunatimes) Al-Shabaab rebel group in Jowhar town on Thursday reportedly shut down over ten Qur’an classes, popularly known as Dugsi, after accusing the Koran class teachers of lacking Tajwid skills to recite the Qur’an.

Tajwid is an Arabic word for elocution, meaning proper pronunciation at a moderate speed during Qur’an recitation.

Rebel leaders said they will offer Tajwid training to these teachers to arm them with the necessary Tajwid skills before teaching their students.

One of the teachers who spoke to Bar-kulan dismissed rebel claims that they lack Tajwid skills to recite Qur’an properly.

The teacher who sought anonymity for fear of reprisal expressed his dissatisfaction with the closure of his institution, city interior motive for the closure.

Early this year, Al-Shabaab leaders in Jowhar ordered Qur’an teachers and students to join their rebel fighters in the region.

Area Al-Shabaab leader Yussuf Kaba-kutukade ordered the teachers and their students to join Al-Shabaab militias in effort to counter government forces in the parts of southern Somalia, forcing some teachers to leave the town for fear of conscription.