Hizbul Islam Charging "tax' of Khat Trucks

Mogadishu (Alshahid) – The drivers of the vehicles that transport Khat (a stimulant leaves chewed by most Somalis) from Afgoye town to the capital Mogadishu complained about the money that Hizbul Islam militias take from them.

The drivers said that Hizbul Islam militias have several check points on the highway that connects Afgoye to Mogadishu and every militia group in those check points ask for money to allow the vehicles pass.

The Hizbul Islam police chief in Afgoye Mohamed Hassan Omar who talked to the reporters in Mogadishu denied the complains saying that only Somali Shilling 300 are taken from each vehicle and that amount goes to the road maintenance.

Mr. Omar said that any vehicle which doesn’t comply with the rules of Hizbul Islam will not use the road.