Saturday June 20, 2020
MOGADISHU (HOL) - Three Al-Shabaab militants have surrendered following negotiations with the Somali National Army in Belet Weyne, central Somalia.
SNA 21st Battalion commander in the region Abdiaziz Abdi told journalists the three handed themselves over in the town and also surrendered guns.
“The three militants among them their leader gave themselves up to Somali National Army in Belet Weyne,” said Abdi.
They chose to renounce the wrong ideology of the terrorist group Al-Shabaab.”
Abdi called on fighter still allied to the outlawed group to surrender in order to bring peace in the region.
The defection of the three adds to an increasing number of militants defecting from the Al-Qaeda affiliated group.
Al-Shabaab has also lost sizeable territory in recent months amid heightened offensives by Somali Forces in collaboration with African Union troops.