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Two senior Al-Shabaab officials surrender in Somalia

Xinhua, December 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Two senior Al-Shabaab officials surrendered to Jubaland State forces in Kismayo town in southern Somalia, officials said Thursday.

Colonel Ahmed Muse, Jubaland State Head of Criminal Investigation Department, told reporters in Mogadishu that the two senior Al-Shabaab officials surrendered on Wednesday.

"Sheikh Mohamed Abdi, Commander of Al-Shabaab in charge of collecting taxes, and Mohamed Abdikarim Omar, who is head of security in Jubaland, surrendered to our forces. They have renounced the Al-Shabaab and have decided to join the rest of Somalis in peace building," Muse said.

Muse added that the Jubaland State welcomes all militants who take advantage of the amnesty and leave the Al-Shabaab movement.

The two Al-Shabaab officials have surrendered at a time when heavy fighting occurred in northwest of Kismayo in Lower Juba early this week between the militants and locals backed by state forces. Endit