The leader of Somalia’s Hizbul Islam group, Sheikh Hassan  Dahir Aweys has refutted claims that one of the coalition partners has ditched to Al-Shabaab.

Sheikh Aweys who addressed reporters in Mogadishu on Tuesday said that he received information of his deputy Sheikh Hassan Abdullahi Al-Turki joining Al-Shabaab but refuted that Turki led his own Raskamboni Brigade to the rebel group.

Sh. Aweys, Hizbul Islam rebel chief

“Sheikh Turki has joined Al-Shabaab but that does not mean Raskamboni has indeed joined our brothers Al-Shabaab,” he said, adding that Al-Shabaab has violated an agreement between the two groups by convincing the fighters of his group join to them.

His sentiments were ochoed by two other Hizbul Islam officials who said that

“We, as a group, were not involved anyway with the Baidoa agreement. We are telling Somalis that we are still part of Hizbul Islam,” said Barre Ali Barre, an official who spoke for Raskamboni.

Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Islam ‘Madobe’ who is a top Hizbul Islam official said there is animosity between the two groups and that there will be not agreement, vowing to fight anyone who joins Al-Shabaab.

“Al-Shabaab and us are enemies and we don’t have any relationship whatsoever apart from war and I am telling you that whoever joins Al-Shabaab, we will also fight him,” he said, adding that the decision by Sheikh Turki was insane.

In a ceremony which was held on Monday in the southern city of Baidoa, Sheikh Al-Turki jointly signed and agreement with Al-Shabaab’s enigmatic leader Sheikh Muqtar Abdurahman Abu Zubeyr, declaring merging of forces with the group.

The disagreement between Hizbul Islam and Al-Shabaab, which have been involved in armed struggle against the fragile Somali government and African Union peacekeeping force in Mogadishu, erupted on November last year over the control of southern Somali towns, notably the port city of Kismayo.

GAROWE ONLINE