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Insurgents in Somalia amputated the limbs of four young men on Thursday.

Ali Mohamudi Geedi, Osmail Kalif Abdule, Jeylani Mohamed Had and Abdulkadir Adow Hirale had their right hands and left legs amputated by members of the al-Shabab armed militia in front of a crowd of local people in northern Mogadishu.

Amnesty International condemned the amputations.

"These punishments amount to torture," said Michelle Kagari, Amnesty International’s Africa Deputy Director. "The horrific nature of such acts that were carried out in front of a crowd adds further injustice and dehumanises these young men."

All parties to the conflict, including members of the al-Shabab armed group are bound by norms of international humanitarian law that prohibits torture in all circumstances. Wilfully committing such acts constitutes a war crime.
 
The four young men were convicted of robbery by an unofficial al-Shabab local court, with no due process. Amnesty International appealed to the armed group on Monday not to carry out the amputations.