The Al Qaeda linked militia Al Shabaab is using the chewing drug khat as a cash cow in Somalia by taxing producers, sellers and users alike.
This is despite ongoing conflict in the region.
Al Shabaab said it has banned the use of khat as un-Islamic and regularly publishes reports of dealers, many of them many of them women, being arrested.
However, the Islamic elements in Al Shabaab who are trying to enforce this ban are losing the battle to military commanders who believe revenue collected from taxing khat far outweighs the unpopularity that banning it would heap on the movement.
Websites reflect increasing disenchantment from Somalis who say this double game being played by Al Shabaab shows it is pursuing its own selfish interests ahead of the greater good of the country.
Source: eyewitnessnews.co.za
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