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| Last Updated: Apr 3, 2012 - 2:47:55 AM |
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Somalia: Aweys defends decision to abandon central town
20 Jun 20, 2010 - 7:52:07 AM
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The Islamist leader of Somalia’s Hizbul Islam Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys said his group took the decision to pull out of central town of Beledweyne, the administrative capital of Hiiran region, to avoid fight with rival group Al-Shabaab insurgent.
The things that forced us to peacefully vacate Hiiraan region were to avoid clash with Al-Shabaab and also avert possible shedding of innocent blood,” he said while admitting for the first defection of some officials from his group who joined Al-Shabaab.
The elderly cleric warned Al-Shabaab of anything that would put them in jeopardy, adding that they could only unite with the group through talks.
“Al-Shabaab wants more than they deserve, we warned them against that because it is not good for the brothers,” he noted.
His remarks come as Hizbul Islam officials from central Shabelle region announce their decision to join Al-Shabaab. They are joining dozens of their colleagues who renounced their allegiance to Aweys’s group.
Both the two groups, which are jointly involved in fight against the UN-backed government in Mogadishu, control large swathes of territories in central regions but were at some point involved in deadly power struggle over the control of southern Somali towns.
GAROWE ONLINE
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