AAN Breaking: Aid Worker Executed By Al Shabaab In Harrowing Video

[J. Hill]

AAN Breaking: Aid Worker Executed By Al Shabaab In Harrowing Video

 

In the early hours of this morning, African terror group, Al Shabaab streamed the execution of Altian aid worker, Demetiris Konstantous, Konstantous joined the International Development and Aid Project (IDAP) in late 2022, working in high-risk areas such as Yemen, Syria, Somalia and eventually Kenya. Though details on the matter are unknown with regards to his abduction. Konstantous appeared on an Al Shabaab livestream. Reading a script condemning the west and their actions in Kenya, notably the United States' hand in assisting the Kenyan Defence Force (KDF) with counter-insurgency operations.

 

Due to the gruesome nature of the video, details on the stream will be only described if essential.

The Livestream started at 3:30 AM (UTC), rolling the intro of Al Shabaab like any other terror group. The screen then faded in to show Konstantous bound and kneeling down in the center frame with two men, faces covered standing either side of the terrified aid worker. Konstantous then reads out a statement; detailing his name, age, home nation and a written speech regarding the west's actions in Somalia. Tragically after reading it out, Konstantous was then beheaded and his severed head held to the camera. Al Shabaab, despite not directly having large cells outside of Somalia have largely seen a spike in activity in Kenya after the Kenyan Defence Force continues to aid the Somali government in ridding the nation of an Al Shabaab presence. Recently Al Shabaab executed a raid on an airstrip in Garissa county, which locked down the flight corridor in to Somalia, the group has seemingly started a war of attrition against the KDF in the county, but holding the air strip and developing a presence in the area, threatening civilians at toll checkpoints erected by the group to extort money. The Kenyan government pledged a response to the sudden move by the group. The intent behind Al Shabaab's sudden mobilization is unknown however is fueled by years of fighting against the Somali and Kenyan governments for intervening in the group's attempt to erect an Islamic emirate in place of the democratic government.