Ahulusuna formed parliament elects its leadership

Sixty five-member parliament of Somalia’s a moderate Sufi Islamic group Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a (ASWJ) has elected its new speaker and his two deputies in Dhusamareb town in central Somalia.

The members elected  Sadaq Sheikh Yussuf as the new speaker of Ahlu-Sunna Assembly.

The group announced on Monday that they formed their own parliament elected by over one hundred traditional clan elders from the Galgaduud region.

Yussuf who was once the deputy chairperson of the group has been supported by the 65 members of the assembly.

After the conclusion of the election,  Yussuf pledged that he is going serve Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a (ASWJ), a moderate Sufi Islamic parliament sincerely.

“Thank you all the parliamentarians, I welcome this progress and I am always ready to serve you the best I can,” said Yussuf.

The members also first and second deputies.

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.