MOGADISHU, Somalia Sep 23 2012 (Garowe
Online) – 200 hundred Al Shabaab agents surrendered to African Union and Somali
government forces on Sunday amid a chain of bombings and assassinations in Mogadishu,
Garowe Online reports.
Spokesman for the African Union
forces deployed in Somalia, Col. Ali Adan Hamud, said that the agents who
surrendered were equipped with their weapons had decided to give up fighting
for Al Shabaab and join government forces.
“These Al Shabaab agents renounced
their allegiance with the terrorist group and decided to join the government
forces.
“We are welcoming this decision by
the militants and we are providing their security,” continued Col. Hamud.
The spokesman also stated that reports
that said the agents were actually civilians who were looking to join the
battle in the Middle Shabelle region by surrendering to the allied forces were
false.
“The 200 agents who surrendered
included two Al Shabaab officials, we welcome anyone separating from Al Shabaab
and we will protect them,” said Col. Hamud.
Al Shabaab did not comment on the
agents who split from the organization on Sunday.
The split by the 200 Al Shabaab
agents follows a string of attacks by Al Shabaab in Mogadishu as a new Somali
President was elected earlier this month.
Last Thursday Al Shabaab agents strapped
with explosives attacked a restaurant in a Mogadishu killing14 people and
shelled a residential neighborhood the night before.
On Saturday a member of the new federal
parliament Mustafa Haji was gunned down after evening prayers near his home in
Mogadishu.
Security analysts say that the
recent insecurity in Mogadishu is due serious infiltration by Al Shabaab in Mogadishu
even stemming all way to top security and military officials.
GAROWE ONLINE
