Senior al-Shabaab leader defects to Somalia govt

A senior al-Shabaab operative along with two other al-Shabaab fighters have surrendered themselves to the Somalia government amid the government intensified operations against the group in central Somalia.

According to Mohamed Abdullahi, Bahdo district commissioner who spoke to the media, the defectors have turned into the Somalia forces in Bahdo town of Galgaduud region.

The senior al-Shabaab defector was identified as Hassan Warsame Abdullahi aka Jabal. The names of the two other defectors were not disclosed for unspecified reasons.

Somalia forces backed by clan militias have recently intensified operations to liberate al-Shabaab-controlled areas in central Somalia. The allied forces recaptured dozens of towns and villages in Mudug, Galgadud, Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle regions.

The government forces also claimed to have killed hundreds of al-Shabaab fighters in fierce clashes in central Somalia.

Despite losing control of villages and towns, the group is still capable of carrying out attacks on military bases and government institutions as well as hotels and restaurants in major towns of Somalia.