Somalia's al-Shabaab beheads four men accused of spying

Somalia's al-Shabaab militants beheaded four men for allegedly spying for the country's Western-backed government, the United States and Kenya, Somalian residents said. 

The group confirmed the executions, which took place on Sunday when the men were found guilty by an al-Shabaab court in lower Jubba region's Jamame District.

Jubba's al-Shabaab governor, Mohamed Abu Abdalla told Reuters,"The court ruled on their cases and four of the men were executed publicly in Jamame District according to the Sharia this (Sunday) afternoon."

"The four men admitted they were spies."

In areas under its control, al-Shabaab has carried out executions, floggings and amputations after summary trials in cases ranging from espionage to theft.

The militant group has been fighting for years to drive out African Union peacekeepers, topple the central government and impose its own harsh interpretation of Sharia (Islamic law) in the country.

(Reuters)