AU mission welcomes surrender of Al-Shabaab bomb expert in Baay region

African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) has welcomed the surrender of Al-Shabaab commander, Hussein Salad Mukhtar to the Somali National Army.

Muktary who was Al-Shabaab commander and  bomb expert defected to Somali government authorities in Baidoa town, Southern Somalia this week.

On its twitter account, the Mission hoped that ‘other sons and daughters of Somalia who have been misled into terrorist acts will emulate the courageous action of Mukhtar’.

“Amisom calls on AlShabaab fighters to heed the Government’s amnesty, lay down their weapons and join other Somalis in rebuilding their country,” Amisom said.

The commander’s move was also welcomed by Southwest state Authorities, saying it hoped defection will inspire others to reject Al-Shabaab and “embrace peace and unity” in the country.

The number of Al-Shabaab members defecting to the government including senior officials has continued to increase while the group has lost major strategic controls it once controlled.

Although Al-Shabaab abandoned all its fixed positions in Mogadishu in 2011, the group still uses hostile tactics such as assassinations, hit-and-run attacks, improvised explosives and suicide missions to target it perceived enemies.