Somali Islamist rebels force men to grow beards

By Ibrahim Mohamed and Abdi Guled

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somalia's Islamist al Shabaab rebels on Saturday ordered men to grow long beards, shave their moustaches and wear their trousers above the ankle.

It is the first time in the lawless Horn of Africa country that the insurgents, who seek impose a strict form of Islamic sharia law, have focused on men's appearance, having previously ordered women to cover their entire bodies, and banned bras.

"We are ordering all men in Kismayu not to shave or trim their beards, but shave the moustache," Sheikh Ibrahim Garweyn, a senior Al Shabaab official for the public awareness in the southern Somali port town, told reporters on Saturday.

"We will never accept to see men with long beards and moustaches together. They have three days to follow the order."

The group, which Washington says is an al Qaeda proxy, has already banned musical ringtones, dancing at weddings and playing or watching soccer.

Al Shabaab has carried out executions, floggings and amputations to enforce its rulings, mainly Kismayu.

The group is battling the government of President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed for control of Mogadishu, and is fighting a another Islamist militia -- Hizbul Islam --in the provinces.

Al Shabaab also ordered men to wear their trousers above the ankle. "They have 15 days to follow the order," Garweyn said.