CAPE TOWN – As the Horn of Africa country sinks deeper in a deadly cycle of violence, the African Union mission in Somali believes that more foreign fighters are joining Al-Shabaab militant group to oust the Somali government of Sheikh Sharif. “The presence of foreign fighters in Somalia is very true,” Wafula Wamunyinyi, the African Union representative for Somali, told IslamOnline in an exclusive interview.
“Al-Shabaab has recruited many foreign fighters to help them over throw the transitional UN-backed Somali government.”
The AU representative said foreign fighters from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to far countries as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan, Bangladesh and the US have joined the militant group.
“We gathered reliable information from people who left Al-Shabaab and from other intelligence sources implicating the named people,” he said.
Intelligence sources said that foreigners make up the bulk of Al-Shabaab leadership.
A list released by intelligence sources named a number of foreigners aiding the Somali militant group.
The list includes Pakistani national Abu Musa Mombasa as Al-Shabaab’s head for security and training operations.
Abu Musa reportedly moved to Somalia to replace Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, a Kenyan who was killed in September by US soldiers for alleged links with Al-Qaeda.
The list also features Abu Mansur Al-Amliki, an American, Mohamoud Mujajir, a Sudanese and Afghan national Ahmed Abdi Godane.
Wafula also named Mohamed Abu Faid, a Saudi, for allegedly financing Al-Shabaab operations.
Estimates put the number of foreign fighters in Somalia at between 1200 to 1500.
Al-Qaeda
The AU representative also believes that Al-Qaeda group has a foothold in the Horn of Africa country.
“Al-Qaeda has a very strong hold in Somalia,” Wafula told IOL.
“If we don’t join hands and fight the radicals then I’m afraid they will take control of Somalia.”
Wafula said that Al-Shabaab has established training camps with Al-Qaeda.
“With Al-Qaeda training, you know what to expect, suicide bombings and kidnaps,” he told a workshop for the African peacekeeping mission (AMISOM).
Al-Shabaab has admitted that foreign fighters are fighting alongside against government troops.
"Those who say our Muslim brothers are foreigners are wrong. They came here to assist their brothers in Somalia,” Al-Shabaab official Sheikh Ali Hussein Fidow told a press conference in Mogadishu.
“We sent an alarm to the Muslim world when Ethiopia invaded our country, and they sent us brothers to help us,” he said, referring to the Ethiopian invasion to topple the Islamic Courts Union in late 2006.
"Some of them have been martyred; others were injured while the rest are still ready to fight for the sake of their Muslim brothers."
Al-Shabab and its Hizbul Islam allied militia launched a deadly offensive in May against the internationally-backed government of President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
The fighting has killed hundreds of civilians and displaced thousands.
Somalia has lacked an effective government since the ouster of former president Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.
More than 14 attempts to restore a functional government have since failed.
Source: IslamOnline
“Al-Shabaab has recruited many foreign fighters to help them over throw the transitional UN-backed Somali government.”
The AU representative said foreign fighters from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to far countries as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan, Bangladesh and the US have joined the militant group.
“We gathered reliable information from people who left Al-Shabaab and from other intelligence sources implicating the named people,” he said.
Intelligence sources said that foreigners make up the bulk of Al-Shabaab leadership.
A list released by intelligence sources named a number of foreigners aiding the Somali militant group.
The list includes Pakistani national Abu Musa Mombasa as Al-Shabaab’s head for security and training operations.
Abu Musa reportedly moved to Somalia to replace Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, a Kenyan who was killed in September by US soldiers for alleged links with Al-Qaeda.
The list also features Abu Mansur Al-Amliki, an American, Mohamoud Mujajir, a Sudanese and Afghan national Ahmed Abdi Godane.
Wafula also named Mohamed Abu Faid, a Saudi, for allegedly financing Al-Shabaab operations.
Estimates put the number of foreign fighters in Somalia at between 1200 to 1500.
Al-Qaeda
The AU representative also believes that Al-Qaeda group has a foothold in the Horn of Africa country.
“Al-Qaeda has a very strong hold in Somalia,” Wafula told IOL.
“If we don’t join hands and fight the radicals then I’m afraid they will take control of Somalia.”
Wafula said that Al-Shabaab has established training camps with Al-Qaeda.
“With Al-Qaeda training, you know what to expect, suicide bombings and kidnaps,” he told a workshop for the African peacekeeping mission (AMISOM).
Al-Shabaab has admitted that foreign fighters are fighting alongside against government troops.
"Those who say our Muslim brothers are foreigners are wrong. They came here to assist their brothers in Somalia,” Al-Shabaab official Sheikh Ali Hussein Fidow told a press conference in Mogadishu.
“We sent an alarm to the Muslim world when Ethiopia invaded our country, and they sent us brothers to help us,” he said, referring to the Ethiopian invasion to topple the Islamic Courts Union in late 2006.
"Some of them have been martyred; others were injured while the rest are still ready to fight for the sake of their Muslim brothers."
Al-Shabab and its Hizbul Islam allied militia launched a deadly offensive in May against the internationally-backed government of President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
The fighting has killed hundreds of civilians and displaced thousands.
Somalia has lacked an effective government since the ouster of former president Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.
More than 14 attempts to restore a functional government have since failed.
Source: IslamOnline
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