|
Mogadishu, Somalia, May 23,
2009 (SL Times) – Reports coming from Mogadishu indicate that despite
the advances made by al-Qaeda linked al-Shabab organization in
south-central Somalia, it is suffering from two serious sets of
problems:
- Problems between al-Shabab and other radical Islamists
- Problems within al-Shabab's leadership
The latest flare up was between Hassan Dahir Aweys, the godfather of
religious extremism in Somalia and the Somaliland born al-Shabab upstart
leader Ahmed Aw Abdi Godane who uses the name Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr as an
alias.
The conflict was confirmed by Osman Abdillahi Sool, a freelance
journalist. Apparently, Dahir Aweys was so incensed with the pretensions
of Ahmed Aw Abdi Godane to be the leader of the insurgency that Dahir
Aweys threatened "to strike with an iron hand the young northerner."
There are also reports that Ahmed Aw Abdi Godane was wounded in an
explosion in Mogadishu.
The recent resignation Mukhtar Robow (Abu Mansur) from his post as al-Shabab's
spokesman, is another indication of the simmering conflict within al-Shabab.
|
