Six Al-Shabaab militants in Bakool surrender as military offensives intensify

Six Al-Shabaab fighters including a driver defected to the joint federal and regional military forces in Dinsoor, Bakool region Thursday.

A local commissioner in Dinsoor quoted by the state news agency SONNA said the defectors who possessed arms surrendered to the forces following intense military offensives in Bakool, south western Somalia.

“Six armed Al-Shabaab fighters have defected while driving a battle vehicle. Currently they are in Dinsoor town,” Mohamed Noor Shikshigow, the commissioner of Dinsoor said. “The state administration, local military commanders and the federal government have been briefed.”

Shikshigow said the defectors were from Arabow location approximately 150 kilometres south of Dinsoor town.

The defection comes amid increased military and airstrikes by joint Somali and Amisom forces in southern and south western regions in Somalia. The US has been conducting airstrikes with at least 10 strikes in November.

A military commander told the media late last month the militants were fleeing the southern regions of the country towards the north as operations intensify.

“They ran away from the attacks in southern Somalia and are heading to Galgadud and Mudug regions but we shall never allow them to operate in their new settlements,” General Ahmed Mohamed Tredishe of the 52th Somali division said.