What do jihadists from the deadly Islamic extremist group al-Shabab do when they’re not killing thousands of innocent people in sub-Saharan Africa?
Save the environment, of course.
In a bizarrely uncharacteristic eco-conscious move, the extremist militant group banned single-use plastic bags in all Somali territories currently under the group’s control.
The jihadists “consider plastic bags a serious threat to the wellbeing of both humans and animals,” a BBC report said.
And while the militants didn’t specify exactly how they would enact this new green endeavor with those living throughout al-Shabab territories, the report noted that “because of widespread fear of the group’s use of violence, orders are usually followed.”
Recycling under the threat of death? 2018 is weird.
Al-Shabab, which is estimated to have between 7,000 and 9,000 militants, according to a Newsweek report, has been battling the Somali government for more than a decade now.
The group has unleashed devastating attacks throughout the country over the course of its existence, including a truck bombing in Mogadishu last year that killed 587 people.
Jon Simkins is the executive editor for Military Times and Defense News, and a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War.
