Senior Al-Shabaab fighters surrender in Somalia amid military operation

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Two senior Al-Shabaab militants surrendered on Monday in Somalia, Defence Ministry reported, in the latest crackdown targeting the group across the country, which is struggling with violent extremism and instability for the last three decades.

For the last 10 months, the government of Somalia and partners have waged sustained operations against Al-Shabaab in various fronts, triggering defections. Those who defect, are usually taken through rigorous psychological lessons before they are integrated with the families.

According to the Ministry of Defence, those who surrendered on Monday were Hassan Hussein Ali and Derow Moallim, who were holding relatively senior ranks within the group in Mudug region. The defection took place on Harandhere, a town which has been under the militants for long.

"Today, former Khawarij members Hassan Hussein Ali and Derow Moallim Ibrahim surrendered in Harardhere, Mudug region," the ministry of Defence reported on Monday, while encouraging more youths who have joined the group to quit and walk the right path of state building.

"Citing unbearable conditions due to government offensives and air strikes as the reason, showing the effectiveness of SNA's efforts, they chose to lay down arms," added a statement from the ministry, which also lauded security forces on the frontline..

The defection comes a few weeks after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited Galmadug state where he encouraged locals to join hands in the fight against Al-Shabaab. The group lost huge swathes in Somalia during the first phase of operations against them, with 3,000 reportedly getting killed.

At the moment, the government troops with assistance from US Africa Command and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS], are combing central regions before embarking on the second and perhaps the final assault against the militants in Jubaland and Southwest states.

The government of Somalia recently asked United Nations Security Council to prevail upon ATMIS on the drawdown of troops in the country, asking for three more months. ATMIS has started withdrawing troops from the Horn of Africa nation in compliance with Somali Transition Plan.

GAROWE ONLINE