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Mogadishu, December 5, 2009 — The Somali government
has acknowledged the defection of a senior Al-Shabaab officer, who was
said to be the second in command of Al-Shabaab forces in Lower Shabele
region. In a press conference held at the ministry of information office
in Mogadishu, former Al-Shabaab officer Ali Hassan Gedi said that he
decided to leave Al-Shabaab because he could no longer support their
ideology of constant war and inflicting suffering on the Somali people.
“I’m so relieved that I’m no longer part of that group and I’m free from
Al-Shabaab and their misguided ideology. I have decided to quit this
group because my conscience does not allow me to be part of a project of
inflicting daily suffering on Somali people” Mr. Gedi stated. He said
that the decision of Al-Shabaab to close the offices of WFP was one of
the reasons that prompted him to leave this group. He also criticized
Al-Shabaab for exercising extortion to fund their war project. “People
are forced to pay money they cannot afford and when I tried to talk
about this, I was not listened to” Mr. Gedi said.
Two senior government officials, Abdirahman Isse Addow and Abdirisak
Qeylow, made brief statements at the press conference, welcoming Mr. Ali
Hassan Gedi and encouraging those still with Al-Shabaab to follow Mr.
Gedi’s example and join the government.
No statement was issued by Al-Shabaab group regarding Mr. Ali Hassan
Gedi’s defection. This is the second defection from Al-Shabaab to the
government in as many weeks.
Source: Hiiraan Online, Wednesday, December 02, 2009
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