Senior Shabaab commander defects to government in Gedo region

Authorities in Gedo region in southern Somalia said Saturday it had received a senior Al-Shabaab commander who recently defected from the group barely a month after a similar defection in South West state.

Intelligence official in Gedo, Ali Hassan Abdi said the defector identified as Abdihakim Hussein Yusuf who had been a member of the militant group for four years left the group to join the government. “He said he left after Al-Shabaab killed and looted property of the Somali people,” said Abdi.

Abdi called on those still in the group to defect noting they would be received well by the government.

A former bomb making Al-Shabaab member surrendered to Somali army in Baidoa town last month. Addow Moalim Isak is reported to have been in charge of explosions and training in Bay, Bakool, Gedo, lower Jubba and Benadir regions.