A recent Facebook post shared an image claiming to show vehicles carrying charcoal that were set ablaze by Al Shabaab militants on the road between Walaweyn and Afgooye towns in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region in August 2026. The post, which has garnered significant attention, was flagged for fact-checking by PesaCheck. Upon closer inspection, the image reveals a burnt cargo truck on a dry roadside with extensive fire damage to the cab and body. Several sacks, containers, and other items are scattered on the ground around the vehicle, some of which appear damaged or burnt.
However, a Google reverse image search revealed that the image has been online since 2018, casting doubt on its authenticity. The image appears in an article about a transport vehicle that was torched by Al Shabaab militants in Bakool. It was also used to illustrate articles about Al Shabaab attacks on vehicles in 2022. A comparison of the image under investigation with footage of the charcoal trucks that were burned in August 2026 shows differences in the background, as well as the colour and shape of the vehicles.
PesaCheck's investigation found that Al Shabaab militants did indeed burn several cargo trucks carrying charcoal in the mentioned locations in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region in August 2026. However, the image shared on Facebook does not match the events that occurred in August 2026. The UN Security Council Resolution 2036 of February 2012 officially banned the export of charcoal from Somalia to cut off revenue for Al Shabaab and curb severe environmental damage.
The misleading image has been shared widely on social media, highlighting the need for fact-checking and verification. PesaCheck has been working to sort fact from fiction by partnering with Facebook and similar social media platforms. The organisation's fact-checking efforts aim to provide the public with deeper insight and context to posts they see in their social media feeds.
PesaCheck's fact-checking process involves verifying information through various means, including Google reverse image searches and comparisons with other sources. The organisation's team of fact-checkers and editors work together to ensure that information is accurate and reliable. In this case, PesaCheck's investigation was led by Fact-Checker Hassan Istiila and edited by senior copy editors Mary Mutisya and Cédrick Irakoze.
The article was approved for publication by PesaCheck managing editor Doreen Wainainah. PesaCheck is East Africa's first public finance fact-checking initiative, co-founded by Catherine Gicheru and Justin Arenstein. The organisation is being incubated by Code for Africa, the continent's largest civic technology and data journalism accelerator.
PesaCheck's work is crucial in the fight against misinformation, particularly in East Africa. The organisation's efforts to verify information and provide accurate context help to promote informed decision-making and public discourse. By continuing to fact-check and verify information, PesaCheck aims to make a positive impact in the region.
Key points
- The image shared on Facebook does not show vehicles carrying charcoal that were set ablaze by Al Shabaab militants in August 2026.
- The image has been online since 2018 and was taken in Bakool.
- Al Shabaab militants did burn several cargo trucks carrying charcoal in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region in August 2026, but the image shared on Facebook is not evidence of this event.
