Al Shabaab leader surrenders to Somali forces in Gedo region

Somali authorities in Gedo region says it welcomed a senior Al-Shabaab commander, after defecting from the militant group.

Abdihakim Hussein Yusuf has been a member of Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab group for the past four years, according to security officer, Ali Hassan Abdi .

Hassan says Gedo admistration had welcomed defector Abdihakim Hussein Yusuf after “he got in touch with us”, because, he decided to leave from the group, which he accused of killing against civilians”, Hussein said.

He urged other militants fighting alongside the group to make defection, adding that they would be received well by the government.

Last month,  Adow Moa’lim, former an Al Shabaab bomb expert has defected to Somali army forces in Biadoa town, some 250km southwest of the capital city of Mogadishu.

There was no immediate comment from Al Shabaab over the defection claims.

Reporting by Abdirisak Mohamud Tuuryare from Mogadishu, Somalia