Mogadishu – Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, the leader of Hizbul Islam, has joined with his forces to Shabaab, officials said on Sunday. Mohammed Osman Arus, former spokesman of Hizbu Islam told the press told that the group’s leaders are very pleased and satisfied with merging with Al shabaab movement. The step apparently comes as result of consecutive Al shabaab fighting with its rival Islamist antagonists in an attempt to dislodge Hiszbul Islam.
It is still remains unclear if Hassan Dahir Aweys will take a high leadership portfolio in Shabaab
No comments were immediately available from Al shabaab.
United and fighting side by side against African Union peacekeepers and Somali government forces, Somalia’s biggest Islamist groups has last week combated over the control of strategic district of Bur-hakaba about 110 KM southwest of Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.
Now, critics say that Somali government backed by AU forces and Al shabaab, which US alleges to be Al Qaeda’s proxy in the horn of Africa nation, have remained in the political arena of southern Somalia.
In October 2009, Hizbul Islam and Al Shabaab battled for control of Kismayo, a strategic port town in the Lower Jubba region where militants from Al Shabaab had taken control. Also early this year, the two groups clashed in the Hiran region in central Somalia, a region Al Shabaab currently controls.
