MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Somalia’s Islamist al Shabaab militants, who have used Twitter to announce assassinations and bombings, are back on the microblog service two weeks after their account was suspended.

“[Our new account] will function like the one they closed,” a spokesman who declined to be named said on Tuesday.

Al Shabaab’s previous official Twitter account was suspended around January 24, days after group, which is aligned with al Qaeda, used the social media site to threaten to kill two Kenyan hostages.

The group tweeted a link to a video of the abducted civil servants and threatened to kill them unless the Kenyan government released all Muslim prisoners in its jails.

Twitter rules say threats of violence are forbidden but the site declined at the time to comment on why al Shabaab’s account, which had thousands of followers, had been suspended.

Al Shabaab’s Somali- and Arabic-language Twitter accounts were never closed.

The new account, using the handle @HSMPRESS1, has attracted over 1,100 followers within two days.

Al Shabaab wants to impose its strict version of sharia, or Islamic law, across Somalia. However, it has lost significant territory in the southern and central parts of the country in the face of an offensive by African Union troops.

Source: Reuters

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  1. Well when the USA and the Western world attempts to dress up yet another hapless NGO thief as a Legitimate President when it was broad day light theft with which he ascended to the head of State. Hassan Mahamoud bought 190votes out of a total of 271 on the night he was SELECTED by former warlords, Diaspora community and former cells of Union of Islamic courts(aka Shabab). The Damu Jadiid group to which Mr Hassan Mahamoud belongs has a non aggression pact with Shabab or else how did a man that never left the country in the 22years of conflict managed to survive let alone get rich siphoning food aid intended for orphans???

    Shiek Sharif had his dialogue and agreements with Shabab and so does Hassan Mahamoud. Damu Jadiid[New blood] is merely the diplomatic wing of Shabab and the world is supposed to believe shabab's actions are independent. Shabab is the reminder to the international community that there is still trouble in paradise muuqdishu.

    1. Hassan Mahamoud's government is NOT reaching out to create an all inclusive politically representative environment. In fact he is deliberately alienating the Majority within his country(Somalia-Italia). From puntland, Galmudug, Hiraan, Banaadir to Jubaland he is polarizing this poor nation that represents the Road-Map signatories he is neglecting the same constitution that SELECTED him into office as head of Somalia-Italia.

    2. Hassan Mahamoud has totally neglected the action points of the London conference of 2012. The international community some 54-countries made a solemn promise to support and finance "any dialogue between Somaliland & the TFG/or who ever replaces them so that the two countries can reach a decision on their future working relationship. Hassan Mahamoud's government has taken it upon themselves to believe they can side step this solemn promise from 54-countries. Hassan Mahamoud assumes since USA has given his road-Map government recognition that this recognition is permanent and cannot be withdrawn or even transferred to a more appropriate government chosen y it's people.

    3. Hassan Mahmoud has 1.5million people in and around muuqdishu that totally depend on Food aid to remain alive. He is far from a position to address the large numbers of his population that are in Yemen, Dadaab and Dollo Ado to name a few.

    4. Hassan wishes to side step the same constitution that ascended him to head of state via a SELECTION process. 75% of the Road-Map signatories have been sidelined and Hassan intends to further alienate them for the political arena. Puntland, Galmudug and ASWJ makeup 75% of the Road-map signatories and they have lost all faith in this Road-Map that they designed since hassan ignores the Road-Map constitution altogether.

    Is this what the USA was recognizing? They have created a Frankenstein President and for what purpose???

    – It is not him uprooting Shabab no that privilege belongs to Amisom he merely takes credit inappropriately. Mission costing $650Million/year.
    – It is not him Stopping Piracy for that privilege belongs to the various international naval vessels in the region in a mission costing $6Billion/year.
    – It is not him housing , feeding and caring for 1.5milion idps in Muuqdishu let alone the 1.27million refigees in Dadaab, dollo Ado, yemen, Somaliland, Djibouti to name a few neighboring countries hosting the bulk of Hassan Mahamoud's population.

    What did the USA Recognize then since there i no fixed population, no territorial control, no visible restriction of Kenyan and Ethiopian violations of borders as such no sovereignty to speak of???

    The Recognition was of a Man like upon the the Naked King… Who awaits a brave child to remind the world that this make believe KING is truly NUDE…

    Hassan you are Nude and May Shabab be that child that proves your nudity in Leadership as much as you have in in personality.

  2. Folks..under the Alshabab pictures there is a grey moustached guy who carries *ever been arrested*
    can anybody tell us what he is upto? Pretty scary formidable guy? Where is Kayse and his cohorts?
    Cheers.

    • hahahahaha Which one are u talking about? the xine-headed dude next to the guy with the glasses… I think they're all scary, whoever took this photo was in great danger….

  4. I think this new Somalia president is alright, anyone that has dhadhood protesting is good for all other Somali clans period. Can I get an Amen!

  5. shabaab is unacceptable und ha to be iliminated, this strict way of practice the sharia right is only an pretext
    to torture the poor people of somalia. they take children for suicide attacks, disgusting !! What has this to do
    with Koran ??? Nothing !!There are animals !! No one will them.The US, AU , AMISOM have to stand and fight
    together to kick them out of the country.Freedom for everybody this war terror-war must end !

  6. shabaabis an barbarique terror group and it is really time to get them out of the country to bring the people peace and bread.there are as weak than never to be defeedet.The people must stay together with the government and the AU and AMISOM. It is a shame for the islam and so far from the holy Koran what those
    Terrorists do since years and years!!Why Godane bring into Somalia as much foreign fighters ?? There have
    nothing to do in Somalia that is why Aweyes has left the group..Where is Godane Where is Ali Dheere ???
    Hiding under the civilians??