Warsame Ahmed Gelle told state TV that authorities have been conducting operations to "fight" the veils, also known as niqabs. Security forces in Somalia's southern city of Kismayo have seized hundreds of Islamic face veils from female residents, the city's police chief says. Officers in Kismayo have been confiscating the veils by stopping women in the streets and forcing them to remove the garment. Women caught wearing the niqab, which covers the whole face expect for the eyes, also face jail or a fine. However most Somali women still opt for the hijab, which covers a woman's hair but not her face.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 05, 2024 22:16 UTC