Mogadishu, Somalia, January 16, 2010 – The Al-Shabaab movement which has been conducting exercises to show off their military might has said they will take full control of Somalia and will extend Shari'ah law in all parts of the country.

The former spokesman for Al-Shabaab, Shaykh Mukhtar Robow Abu Mansur, who is now believed to have been promoted to a senior level position in the group, has said their forces are ready to carry out attacks in parts of the country which are governed by a constitution he referred as being based on "disbelief". Shaykh Mukhtar Robow Abu Mansur while talking to the media in southern Somalia has said they are planning to extend Shari'ah law in all parts of the country as a matter of urgency and urged civilians to support their group in their operations.

Abu Mansur particularly threatened the administrations of Puntland and Somaliland which he said have satisfied the demands made on them by the Ethiopian government and others in the west. Abu Mansur also accused the two administrations of having done away with the Shari'ah law and said they will arrive there soon.

Al-Shabaab has in the past threatened the administrations of Puntland and Somaliland which it has accused of being the enemies of Somalia and of having relations with Ethiopia and the west. The group has now said they will target these two administrations and eventually establish an Islamic Emirate in the areas that are currently under their control.

The former Al-Shabaab official also accused western nations of sub dividing Somalia into various regions that have been given names that end with the word "Land" such as Puntland and Somaliland and said Al-Shabaab was going to challenge these attempts.

Asked about the flags that Puntland and Somaliland administrations have, the former Al-Shabaab spokesman, Shaykh Mukhtar Robow Abu Mansur said they will not allow a flag other than the black and white one that Al-Shabaab uses in Somalia. Abu Mansur also said they were against moves in which these two administrations have been asking some Somali civilians to leave the regions and were going to take action against them also based on that.

Al-Shabaab’s threats against Puntland and Somaliland come at a time when senior politicians have in the past predicted that the group upon capturing southern Somalia regions will proceed to the two regional administrations. Al-Shabaab is currently fighting Ahlu Sunna wal Jama'a forces in central Somalia regions. Ahlu Sunna wal Jama'a this week urged Puntland and Somaliland to give them urgent support saying that if Al-Shabaab forces were to go past Galguduud Region [central Somalia]; they will proceed to Gaalkacyo, Mudug Region, from where they will attack the administrations of Puntland and Somaliland..

Source: AllPuntland.com website in Somali 8 Jan 10 (BBC Monitoring via COMTEX Jan 08, 2010)

BBC Monitoring. Copyright BBC.

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