By ABDULKADIR KHALIF, NATION Correspondent
Tuesday, May 12, 2009

MOGADISHU, Somalia (Daily Nation) - Islamist Al-Shabaab political and regional officer Sheikh Hussein Ali Fidow has praised the solidarity his group received from foreign fighters against the Transitional Federal Government in Somalia.

Sheikh Fidow warned Somalis against calling the ‘Muslim brothers,’ aliens.

Speaking in Mogadishu, Sheikh Fidow responded to claims from government officials that foreign combatants were fighting alongside Al-Shabaab fighters in the latest clashes in Mogadishu.

Sheikh Fidow made it clear that foreign fighters were in Somalia offering his movement solidarity.

“Jihadists from all corners of the world have been here with us since we confronted the infamous warlords in Mogadishu three years ago,” said Sheikh Fidow.

“They have been coming to Somalia to fight the ‘enemy of Allah,’ including the Ethiopian troops, the African peacekeepers and those who brought them to the country,” he added.

Left luxuries

Sheikh Fidow termed the AU peacekeepers from Uganda and Burundi aliens, who should pay permission fees to stay in Somalia.

“Ugandans and Burundians, who are here illegally, should be called aliens, not the international jihadists,” said the sheikh.

The cleric asked the Somali people to reciprocate the good job done by the international jihadists.

“These people left luxuries in their countries to sacrifice for the Somali people to have an Islamic state,” said Sheikh Fidow.

Heavy clashes have been going on between the pro-government forces and the mainly radical Islamists.

The radicals include the Al-Shabaab movement and the Islamic Party led by Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, who returned from exile in Asmara in Eritrea in April.

Human rights activists believe that hundreds have died, bigger numbers have been wounded and thousands others displaced by the latest upsurge of violence.

Islamists in upcountry regions offered their solidarity to those who have been fighting the government forces in Mogadishu since last Thursday.

Source: Daily Nation, May 12, 2009