Somali woman with 11 husbands stoned to death by al-Shabaab

A woman has been stoned to death in Somalia after a court run by al-Shabaab convicted her of having several husbands, the militant group says.

Shukri Abdullahi Warsame was accused of marrying 11 times, without divorcing her previous husbands.

She was buried neck-deep and pelted to death with stones by al-Shabab fighters, say residents of the southern Sablale town.

Al-Shabab practises a strict interpretation of Sharia law.

The militant group controls large swathes of Somalia and often conducts raids and attacks in its attempt to overthrow the central government based in the capital, Mogadishu.

Mohamed Abu Usama, al-Shabaab's governor for the Lower Shabelle region, told Reuters: "Shukri Abdullahi and nine husbands, including her legal husband, were brought at the court, each saying she was his wife."

According to Islamic law, polyandry - a woman having more than one husband - is illegal but men are allowed to marry up to four wives.

Divorce is allowed for both partners but while men can separate from their wives, the woman has to seek the husband's consent. If denied, she can go to religious court to get the approval.

A news site run by the militants said Ms Abdullahi was in "perfect" health, and pleaded guilty to the charges, when she appeared in court in Sablale, 200km (125 miles) south-west of Mogadishu.

Divorces are common in Somalia but the details of this case are unusual, the BBC Somali Service's Mowliid Haji Abdi says.

The militants are known to mete out harsh physical punishments for what they consider as religious infractions.