Al-Shabaab parades four soldiers defected from Jubbaland

Somalia’s Al-Shabaab has paraded four soldiers from Southern regional state, Jubbaland at its stronghold town of Jilib in middle Jubba region.

The soldiers are said to have deserted the Jubbaland state and joined the group which tries to topple Somalia’s federal government.

“These four Soldiers have repented and decided to fight alongside the Mujahideen fighters,” Shabaab spokesman, Abdiaziz Abu Mus’ab said in a statement broadcast on group’s Radio Andalus.

The group has released photos of the soldiers posted on the group-affiliated websites, showing the soldiers armed with AK-47 riffles in military clad in uniform standing side by side in Jilib town.

The soldiers are reportedly surrendered to Al Shabaab after deserting from Jubbaland state army over unknown circumstances.

Jubbaland authorities are yet to comment on the defection of its soldiers who are said to have deserted the state before joining the militant group.