Six Foreign Fighters Seen in Mogadishu
Residents in Huriwa and Daynile districts of Mogadishu confirmed to Somalia Report that at least six non-Somali militant fighters joined hundreds of al-Shabaab insurgents already fighting against government and African Union forces in the Somali capital.
The foreigners have been operating from Suqa-Holaha village, the largest village in Huriwa district, in recent days. They were brought to the area to direct the latest hit and run attacks on the capital. Some of the foreigners are believed to be from Kenya, Pakistan and Yemen, according a resident who requested to be called Hamdi.
Hamdi told Somalia Report that some of the foreigners prayed at the local mosque in Suqa Holaha village with several other al-Shabaab leaders including Sheikh Abdulkadir Munin, a senior preacher in the group.
“It is not secret that foreigners have been operating in our area especially Suqa Holaha Village in the recent days. They were often masked and wearing uniform t-shirts. They never talked to the residents in Somali language, but in Arabic if need be,” said Hamdi
Another Suqa-holaha resident who identified himself as Muse told Somalia Report that he saw six foreign fighters along with a few Somali national fighters loyal to al-Shabaab at the group’s training camp of Mas’laha.
“Some of them were walking while armed with AK47 rifles and machine guns. Three of these fighters were tall, big and little bit a white. They were coming back at the frontline areas of Pasta Victory where AU and Somali forces seized early morning,” explained Muse.
Islamist militias have long been intimidating the locals, but Muse reported that the residents are now happy to see that al-Shabaab fighters are being forced to flee their districts.
Other sources reported indicated that three foreigners were arrested by the Somali government during the latest clashes in Huriwa district and are currently being interrogated by the government, but it was unclear if these were part of the six seen in Mas'laha. A senior commander of the Somali troops who asked not to be named told Somalia Report he was unaware of the arrests.
According to the residents in Daynile, the only district in Mogadishu still controlled by al-Shabaab, many of the the militants are now looking for ways to leave the area. Others are insisting on remaining to defeat the allied force of the AU and Somali government.
"Several al-Shabaab fighters are using Toyota Hilux Serfs,” a Daynile resident who requested not be named told Somalia Report.
Speaking at a press conference this afternoon senior al-Shabaab official for Banadir region, Sheikh Mohamed Aba Abdi Rahman, demanded that the local community, including elders and women, help his fighters to defeat what he called the 'allied infidels'. He vowed to continue the unrest.
“Today we see that many of the infidels started to attack the final bases where we have been ruling the people with Sharia law. The enemy of Allah desires to conquer us to ruin the Islamic religion in Mogadishu,” repeated Aba Abdi Rahman,.
