Hizbul Islam and al-Shabaab terror groups announce unification in Somalia

Hizbul Islam and al-Shabaab terror groups announce unification in Somalia

2010-12-25 05:33:43 GMT+7 (ICT)

MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (BNO NEWS) -- African Islamist groups Hizbul Islam and al-Shabaab on Friday announced their unification in a ceremony at a mosque in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

Al-Shabaab spokesman Sheik Ali Mohamud Raghe said during the ceremony in the Nasrudin mosque that the groups' fighters had attended the ceremony, adding that the two sides had agreed to unite their economics, policy, and weapons to fight the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali government troops.

Likewise, Hizbul Islam information chief Sheik Abdifatah Mo'allin Mohamed said the group was satisfied to be united in order to begin stronger battles against the western backed government and AMISOM.

The unification would allow the groups to multiply their fighting capacity in the Somali capital.

Previously, the two groups had battled over control of the country but in recent confrontations, al-Shabaab had been taking over Hizbul bases, which has had an important impact in order for the two groups to merge.

Somalia has not had a solid government since warlords overthrew long-time dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991, while al-Shabaab, which also has links with al-Qaeda, has maintained control over most of the capital.

As violence continues to spread throughout the African country, almost 68,000 Somalis have fled this year to other countries in the region. As of the end of August, there were more than 614,000 Somali refugees and over 1.4 million displaced within the country.

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