Somalia’s Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab extremists have killed two of their own top commanders, one with a $5 million United States bounty on his head, the insurgents said Saturday.

“We have informed their widows of their deaths, as they must now wear the clothes of mourning,” Shebab spokesman Abdulaziz Abu Musab told AFP.

The pair killed are two co-founders of the Islamist group, including US-wanted Ibrahim Haji Jama Mead, better known by his nickname Al-Afghani — “the Afghan”, due to his training and fighting with Islamist guerrillas there.

Washington offered a $5 million bounty for Afghani, who opposed the command of top Shebab leader Ahmed Abdi Godane.

Godane earlier this month ordered Afghani and other leaders’ arrest.

Shebab gunmen also killed Abul Hamid Hashi Olhayi, named as another senior commander and co-founder of the group.

Family members said they were arrested and then executed, but the Shebab said they were killed during a gun battle.

“We deny reports that the men were killed after capture,” Musab told AFP.

“The two men were killed in a shoot out when they were resisting arrest on court orders.”

Somalia’s Shebab is fractured into multiple rival factions, some based along clan lines and others ideological.

Some are more attracted by a nationalist agenda to oust foreigners from Somalia, while others — including Godane — have more international jihadi ambitions.

However, despite its divisions, analysts say it remains a dangerous and powerful force.

Afghani formerly headed the extremist group’s forces in southern Somalia’s Lower Juba region, based in the strategic port city of Kismayo.

In April, a letter was circulated on extremist websites reportedly penned by Afghani to Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, criticising the leadership of Godane.

Security sources report that clashes broke out between Godane’s troops and forces loyal to Afghani on June 20 in the southern Somali port of Barawe, one of the few towns still held by the Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents.

After the fighting in Barawe in which Afghani was captured, factions opposed to Godane have scattered.

 Source:AFP 

Post Views: 274

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

1 COMMENT

  2. Shabab is disintegrating faster than a falling rock. Next, lets see if Godane can run to his Somaliland tribal land and see if they protect him. I'm sure permanent minister xirsi will welcome to the presidential palace.

    • Ahmeda
      Indications are that Godane will be the next President of Zoomalia. Preparations to overthrow Hassan Culusow are under way. Believe it or not.

      • Faaliye,
        In a bubbling 21st Century contemporary world of our generation, anything is possible.
        I know that the Alshabab fighters are too many different wings. btw which side this Godane is
        on? Is he the big dir,RJ'wayn Alshabab leader, or with the ASWJ or Whom?
        Cheers.

        • If Taliban have been given a voice and a portion of political power… It will not be long before Shabab settle for a 50% Share of Somalia-Italia political power!

          If it brings peace then it is an option to consider.

          Without Shabab Somalia-Italia will return to the 1990ies clan wars over land and resources. Shabab can become instrumental in averting a return to WARLORDISM and the tug of war over food aid.

          Kismanyo is a perfect example of things to come when there is no force strong enough to restrain the multitudes of self appointed presidents that will fight over limited resources.

  3. These salafi extremist always end up turning on each other. Just look up what happened in Algeria back in the 90's when those extremist turned on each other.

  4. This is not Salafi extremism this is what Islam is. I am no friend to these people but they follow the prophet and the sharia to the letter.

    There is no cherry picking with these guys. I might despise them for the ideas they hold, but I do respect them because they dont lie to themselves about what Islam really is.

      • Actually there is! Just take a look at the hadith and tafseer. Perhaps you should look at another thread where I actually listed hadiths you can look up at your local islamic bookstore.

        Here is a novel idea why dont you start with Sahih Bukhari and just read thru it all. It might take you a min but trust me after that you will wonder why no one mentions these facts to everyday muslims.

        Once you get to see the religion deep down you see that these guys arnt really lying. The thing is somalis have gotten the watered down sufi stuff for soo long. Which I admit is better less violent however, according to the hadith and tafseer it becomes harder and harder to justify somethings which is probably why sufism came about bc people were like this stuff is just fing crazy.

        But still it has the same roots and bad roots are bad roots

        • Careful here bro, other wise guys with balaclava and attack dogs might come to your home uninvited anywhere in the world kkkkkk. personally i find your interpretation of hadiths erroneous cus most of muslim scholars actually condemn these nut cases. Remember Islam is all about peace. Salaamu caleykum brother( peace be upon you).For your information, when it came to war and peace, our beloved prophet (scw) always chose peace. Such was his love for mankind that he used to spend all nights crying and making ducaa to Allah for the success of each and every human. In all his confrontations with qureysh in Hijaz, all in all around 700 more or less died all together(muslims and non-muslims). wa billaahi towfiiq.