Mogadishu(Mogadishu24)-Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency(NISA) on Tuesday revealed that it has shut down 20 WhatsApp groups linked to Al-Shabaab militants and were used to threaten the people.

NISA said in a statement that it also imposed restrictions to more that 2,500 telephone numbers used in the WhatsApp groups and blocked from accessing the OTT call services.

The agency warned the public against being members or join the groups, Chanels and pages belonging to Al-Shabaab militants to avoid restrictions and legal actions on counter-terrorism policies.

This is not the first time, NISA releases information related to shutting down of mobile numbers and blocking social media platforms afflicted to Al-Shabaab.

The Statement comes as Somali National Army backed by U.S forces joint conduct operations against Al-Shabaab in central Somalia in the past three weeks constantly. Al-Shabaab carried out deadly attack on SNA forces’s bases in Mudug region last week.