Militant Islamist group al-Shabab has abducted 69 clan elders in Somalia’s central region of Galgadug, officials says.
The elders are being held prisoner because they have failed to pay full compensation for the killings two years ago of five members of a rival clan, al-Shabab says.
They have been taken to an al-Shabab-controlled area about 100km (60 miles) from their home village.
The elders say they had agreed to pay the compensation of $500,000 (£390,000) over a five-year period.
The Galgadug authorities say the central government is not doing enough to protect local people from al-Shabab.
Source: BBC