Latest military reports from Somalia indicate that the government army forces received two (2) commanders of Al-Shabaab, who laid down their arms and surrendered in Bardere town, about 343km south west of Somali capital, Mogadishu
Somali chief of forces, Ali Mohamed Hassan confirmed that his forces had received two commanders of Al-Shabaab identifies as Mustafa Ibrahim and Mohamed Hassan Madhaley. The terror operatives were in charge of militants’ intelligence unit and prisons in Jubba regions of the south of Somalia.
The two who denounced the Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Shabaab promised to work alongside the government forces, providing the necessary intelligence towards crushing and annihilating the terrorist group in Gedo and Juba regions of southern Somalia.
The defection of the two commanders comes after another nine (9) defected from the terrorist group on May 2.
Last week another Kenya terror operative surrendered to Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF) in the town of Bura Hache along the Kenyan- Somalia border days before his deployment.
Hassan Hussein Ali, 24, was born in Bangal, Tana River County.
The operative joined the terrorist group in August 2018 and was training with them until last month. The fighter was supposed to be deployed to the North Eastern region in Wajir or Mandera where Al-Shabaab has been planning to carry out attacks.
The fighter surrendered an AK47 firearm and four magazines plus pouches he was given by the militia group.
Why These Defections
There are a number of reasons as to why these defections continue to happen.
- The foot soldiers are always on the battle front are reportedly paid less than $20 per month leave alone the hunger and starvation they suffer whilst at the training camps and war-zone.
- During recruitment, vulnerable youths, unemployed and from poor backgrounds join the terrorist group in Somalia with a promise of a good pay, good life as they do hijra. After training many later realize that lavish life is just for their generals.
- Being psychologically disturbed in the terror camps and the battle zone.
- Sometimes there are a lot of suspicions in the terror camps and foreign fighters and especially the Kenyan fighters have suffered executions on spying suspicions.
- The killing of innocent civilians has been viewed by a number as “wrong and unlawful”
- Forced recruitment. Al-Shabaab always recruit youths in various Somalia by force meaning once an individual if forced into the group, at one point he will find a perfect time to surrender to authorities.
- To be with their families. A huge number of Al-Shabaab operatives have left their families to jihadist camps and due to meagre pay, that cannot sustain their families, many have defected for this reason
