Africa Review
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
The supreme leader of the Somalia's Al-Shabaab has accused
foreign countries of destabilising the terror group as he sought to
rally its leaders and fighters following reports of internal rifts.
Through a voice message on Tuesday, Ahmed Abdi
Godane, who is better known as Sheikh Mukhtar Abdurahman Abu Zubayr
accused countries like Qatar and Turkey of using divisive tactics to
scatter the radical Islamist group.
"There are forces trying to divide the movement’s leadership and its fighters," said Godane.
"Our enemy is employing negotiations and promises
of positions (in the Somali government)," he said, adding that this
included luring Al-Shabaab members through promises of pardons and the
removal from terrorist lists.
"Countries like Qatar and Turkey as well former
members of the defunct Union of the Islamic Courts (a movement that
ruled most of Somalia’s southern and central regions in 2006) are key
players in these divisive deeds."
He warned the group's leaders and fighters against giving the movement’s secrets away.
In June, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, one of the
group's top hardliners, defected from Al-Shabaab and remains in the
custody of Somali government forces.
Infighting within Al-Shabaab, which is on the
backfoot following a series of gains by AU and Somali troops, has led to
the killing of top group officials.
Elsewhere the Somali government has signed a deal with a Dutch group to set up an effective Coast Guard.
The country has struggled to patrol its long
shoreline and the Atlantic Marine and Offshore Group will help establish
a unit capable of establishing the rule of law within Somali waters and
its Exclusive Economic Zone.
The deal with Atlantic was signed Tuesday in
Mogadishu by the country's Defence Minister, according to a statement
the Somali presidency.