Somalia leader warns Al-Shabaab against joining terror groups

Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Wednesday warned Al-Shabaab militants against joining other terrorist groups to increase attacks against the Western-backed government.

Mohamud instead called on the Islamist militants to surrender instead of shifting loyalty from the Al-Qaida network to Islamic State.

"We follow with interest the now public dispute within Al-Shabaab over whether to swear allegiance to Al-Qaida or the Islamic State, or Da'esh, as it should be known- 'the destroyers'," Mohamed said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.

It has long been feared that ISIS could ally with Somali terror group Al-Shabaab, which has been tied to Al-Qaida.

As Al-Qaida fades and the Islamic State rises, ISIS might look like a better partner for the Somali militants. ISIS early this year accepted an oath of fealty from Boko Haram in Nigeria.

Islamic State had previously said it was interested in a similar arrangement with Al-Shabaab, a prospect regional security analysts described as frightening given his nation's sizable Somali population.

"In fact, both Da'esh and Al-Qaida are destroyers. They both focus on carnage and death and are indiscriminate in their victims: executing fellow Muslims who disagree with their methods and executions of followers of other religions alike," Mohamud said.

The Somali leader said the fall out amongst Al-Shabaab is symptomatic of a group that has lost its way, its ideology and is clinging to an option of last resort.

"We do not need a new brand of horror and repression in Somalia. Somalia has had enough of any brand of terrorist. As we have said before, and as I will keep saying until there are no more of you left to say it to, if you feel you are within the grip of these terrorists and you want another option, stretch out your hands to the government. Reach out to us by any means," Mohamud said.

He called on the militants to dissociate themselves from any acts of terror and take advantage of his government's amnesty adding that he was ready to pardon them and integrate them into the society.

The president's comments came days after a section of Al-Shabaab members in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland declared they were alighting themselves with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, ISIL.

Al-Shabaab has always associated itself with Al-Qaida despite alleged attempts by the Nigerian terror group Boko Haram's call on the group to join ISIL.

The president said hundreds of Al-Shabab members have surrendered and are not fully integrated into their communities as peaceful citizens. Enditem