BREAKING: Al-Shabaab vows to destroy pro-Islamic State militants in Somalia, calling them as “disease” and “cancer”. Spokesman Ali Mohamoud Rage (Ali Dhere) says Al-Shabaab fighters have been ordered to “uproot” IS militants in Somalia.
One of Al-Shabaab’s top leaders has delivered an audio message from the group’s leadership threatening to “confront” IS. Ali Dhere accused IS of targeting business people and killing Al-Shabaab fighters. He describes the group as “liars, untrustworthy, conniving, and treacherous”
Here is what happened between Al-Shabaab and IS in recent months: IS has been targeting business people because they have apparently resisted to pay them extortion, but AS which collects extortion was angered by the threat to its funds - my report here voanews.com/a/in-somalia-b…
Last Friday Al-Shabaab sent a small unit to Cal-Miskaad mountains, they clashed w a group of IS fighters who were washing their clothes at water point; 3 IS members were killed, a 4th was captured according to reports. Among them was a senior figure Abdirahman Fahiye who survived
IS launched a counter-attack on Saturday, claimed to have killed 14 AS fighters and lost 3 and retook the water point. AS group received reinforcement from Galgala, IS got more men and the two sides exchanged gunfire in Miraale and Dhadaar in the highlands east of Bosaso town.
As the two sides faced each other in Miraale area, there were unconfirmed reports of airstrike on Tues. It’s reported that the airstrike have forced the 2 groups to disperse their men but militia build up continuous on both sides. IS fighters reportedly asked support from locals.
IS fighters many of them foreigners have appealed to locals, telling them to “defend your Sheikh”. The Sheikh is Abdulkadir Mumin, leader of IS who is believed to be hiding in Cal-Miskaad. In their statement today, AS accused IS of trying to “revive clanism” and instigate fitnah.
