Hiiraan Online
Wednesday August 23, 2017
Mogadishu (HOL) - A senior fighter with Al-Shabaab surrendered to Somali National Army (SNA) forces in the Hiiraan region in Somalia, according to local officials.
Ahmed Mohamed Teredisho, a regional commander in the SNA told Chinese state news agency, Xinhua that Nur Ibrahim Abdullahi, a fighter with the militant insurgency group Al-Shabaab in the Galgadud region conceded to government forces.
Ahmed Mohamed Teredisho also added that the 19-year-old fighter had been with the group since he was 14.
"Nur Ibrahim Abdulahi, head of health for the terrorist group of Al-Shabaab in Galgudud region surrendered to Somali National Army here in Hiiraan region today, he joined the group while 14 years old and he is now 19. He was with them in the last five years," Teredisho said.
Nur Ibrahim Abdullahi told authorities that prior to his defection from Al-Shabaab, the militant group had made an attempt on his life. He will be transferred to Beled Weyne for further debriefing according to Teredisho.
"We are interrogating him now, we will transfer him to Beledweyne town in Hiiraan for further investigation, we continue our military operation while we welcome defections from the terrorist group
Last week, Mukhtar Robow Abu Mansur, a former deputy commander and founding member of Al-Shabaab defected to the government and denounced the Islamist militant insurgency group for their beliefs in a packed press conference in Mogadishu,
The former Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) thanked the Federal Government of Somalia and its people for welcoming him to Mogadishu.
"I thank the Federal Government of Somalia and its people for warmly welcoming me in Mogadishu, I hope that we will pursue a path of peace."