Security forces in the southern Somali city of Kismayo have confiscated hundreds of Islamic face masks from female residents, the city’s police chief said.
Warsame Ahmed Gelle told state television that authorities had taken measures to “combat” the veils, also known as niqabs.
The crackdown was prompted by concerns that jihadists could hide their identities and carry out attacks, Warsame said.
Large parts of southern and central Somalia are controlled by al-Shabaab, a movement linked to al-Qaeda that has waged a brutal insurgency against Somalia’s UN-backed government for nearly 20 years.
Dozens of people were killed on Friday in an attack on a popular beach spot in the capital Mogadishu.
Officers in Kismayo have confiscated the veils by stopping women on the street and forcing them to remove the garment.
The operation began last Wednesday, Mr Wasame said.
Women caught wearing a niqab, which covers the entire face except the eyes, also face a prison sentence or a fine.
Because Al-Shabaab controls much of southern Somalia, Kismayo and surrounding areas are the only places in Jubaland state where authorities can enforce the ban.
The state initially imposed the niqab ban in 2013, citing security risks, but the ban has rarely been enforced.
The niqab is considered a sign of modesty in Islam. According to government statistics, 99% of the Somali population practices this religion.
Many women there wear the niqab and Mr Wasame said the garment has become increasingly popular in recent times.
However, most Somali women still opt for a hijab, a headscarf that covers a woman’s hair but not the face.
The police said At least 37 people were killed in Friday’s beach attack and several more were injured.
Al-Shabaab, which claimed responsibility for the attack, said the number of dead and wounded was much higher than the figures released by police.
The Somali army recently killed dozens of jihadist fighters in Jubaland, so retaliation is a possibility.
Additional reporting by Abdishukri Haybe
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