Somalia: 100 al-Shabab members surrender to military forces
This handout photograph released by the African Union-United Nations Information Support Team on October 3, 2012 shows alleged suspects of the Al-Qaeda linked group Al Shabaab guarded at a former police station by soldiers of the Somali National Army (SNA) in the Somali port city of Kismayo. African Union troops and allied Somali forces bolstered positions Wednesday in the former Islamist bastion of Kismayo, residents said, a day after entering the Somali port city amid heavy explosions. RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / AU-UN IST PHOTO / STUART PRICE" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS- AU-UN IST PHOTO / STUART PRICE. (Photo credit should read STUART PRICE/AFP/GettyImages)
The Somalia government has reported that approximately a hundred al-Shabaab members have surrendered in recent weeks across the South-Central states of Galmudug, Southwest, HirShabelle, and Jubaland.
According to the Ministry of Information, the wave of defections from the group has been welcomed by the government, which is now urging more militants to take advantage of the amnesty offered by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
The government’s amnesty program is a part of its broader strategy to combat terrorism and bring peace to the region. The program aims to encourage militants to abandon their “extremist” ideologies and reintegrate into society, providing them with a chance to start anew.
The government’s efforts to combat al-Shabaab have been bolstered by the support of the international community.
the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), and other international partners have assisted in the fight against terrorism, helping to create the conditions necessary for peace and stability to take root.
Afri Reporters reported that the European Union (EU) recently approved 116.9 million U.S. dollars for stabilization efforts in Somalia.
The funds, approved by the Political and Security Committee of the Council of the EU, will support the transition process for the Somali National Army (SNA) and for the military component of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), the EU said.
The EU said it will add 74.4 million dollars to the resources already mobilized for ATMIS in previous years and 42.5 million dollars for the SNA.
The EU said in a statement Both actions aim at contributing to the handover of security responsibilities from ATMIS to the SNA by allowing the former to fulfill its mandate while strengthening the capacities of the latter.
