MOGADISHU, Somalia – The al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab has paraded 13 soldiers, whom it says defected from the regional state of Jubbaland at its stronghold town of El Adde, some 550 km (340 miles) west of Somali capital Mogadishu
Abdiasis Abu Musab, al-Shabab’s spokesman says the soldiers deserted the Jubbaland state and joined the group which tries to topple the weak-western backed government of Somalia.
Abu Musab says the group had warmly welcomed the soldiers armed with AK-47 riffles in military clad in uniform standing side by side in the town.
The defection made by the soldiers remains unclear.
Somalia’s Jubbaland authorities are yet to comment on the defection of its soldiers who are said to have deserted the state before joining the militant group of Al Shabaab.
The al-Shabab’s spokesman has also claimed to have fired 10 mortar rounds at United Nations compound in the capital of Mogadishu.
He says the group’s fighters would continue targeting foreign diplomatic buildings until leaving from the war-ravaged nation of Somalia.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemns attacks against its main compound in Mogadishu, leaving two UN staff members and a contractor wounded.
Guterres wishes a speedy recovery to the injured colleagues.
He recalls that intentionally directing armed attacks against United Nations personnel may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.
The Secretary-General reaffirms that such acts will not diminish the strong resolve of the United Nations to continue supporting the people and Government of Somalia in their efforts to build peace and stability in the country.
The militant group has been waging insuregency fore more than ten years in Somalia.
The al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab, which once controlled much of the capital of Mogadishu, wants to topple the weak-western backed government of Somalia.
Reporting by Abdirisak Mohamud Tuuryare from Mogadishu, Somalia
