This is a story about young Somali men who grew up in the West, but ended up as lost al-Shabab warriors. They have deserted al-Shabab and are hiding in an exit-house in Mogadishu, trapped in a deadly limbo: Al-Shabab and its sympathizers in Somalia wants to kill them for deserting and their western home countries have turned their back on them, talking with two tongues when they claim that they want the young men to leave al-Shabab and de-radicalize.
The film is a follow up on WARRIORS FROM THE NORTH which has been screening worldwide at festivals and at TV stations .
While WARRIORS FROM THE NORTH was dealing with the recruitment and engagement of the young men, LOST WARRIORS tells the story of the young men who changed their minds about al-Shabab, and are now trying to make it back to their western countries.
Mogadishu inhabits hundreds of al-Shabab regretters hiding from the organisation.
While some are living in safe houses, others are being a burden to clan-members obliged to host them - or they are living as homeless drug addicts at the beach.
The film’s main character is British-Somali Mohammed Ali Omar. At the age of 19 he left for Mogadishu and joined the Islamic rebels. At 21 he deserted al-Shabab and has been hiding ever since. At 22 he met and fell in love with fellow British-Somali, Fathi, who had been sent to Mogadishu by her familily. They got married and when Fathi went back to London she was pregnant with their mutual child.
The film follow Mohammed Ali Omar’s attempts to make it back home to join his wife and child. But the film also follows his family in London; while Muhammed’s own family is still supportive, sending money for his survival, Fathi’s family have very mixed feelings about their son-in-law and his background with al-Shabab.
The film follows a strong and emotional storyline of the young couple, skyping every day to maintain their relationship. Another laywer in the film, that Mohammed will point towards is the storyline of him and his fellow deserters in Mogadishu with no future in sight.
What will become of these young men? Can we trust that they are no longer terrorists? Is it our job to save them?
