Ahulusuna formed parliament to elect its leadership

Sixty five members of regional assembly formed by Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a (ASWJ), a moderate Sufi Islamic  group in central Somalia are expected to elect the leadership of the assembly on Tuesday.

ASWJ officials in Dhusamareeb town have announced on Monday that the group formed their own parliament elected by over one hundred traditional clan elders from the Galgaduud region.

According to the group, the parliamentary speaker and his deputies will be elected by the 65 members.

Ahlu Sunna waljama’a is a paramilitary group consisting of moderate Sufis opposed to the radical Islamist groups such as Al-Shabaab in Somalia.

It became prominent in 2008, when it took up arms against al-Shabaab after the radical group began destroying the tombs of the country’s Sufi saints.

The group was initially for supporting the Somali government but later took arms against Somali soldier in central Somalia.