Hiiraan Online
Monday, April 25, 2016
MOGADISHU (HOL) – Somalia’s security forces arrested a senior leader with the Al-Qaeda linked militant group in Somalia in a raid in the west of the Somali capital on Sunday evening, officials said.
According to Somali intelligence agency, Hassan Mohamed Siyad aka Hassan Fanah, who was allegedly involved in planning attacks against the African Union and Somali troops when he was captured in a raid on a house in Kahda, a settlement on the western part of Mogadishu.
The raid, the latest in series of operations against network of militants operating in the seaside capital illustrates an improvement in the intelligence gathering for the horn of Africa nation which is recovering from decades of war.
Reports on the incident where the Al-shabaab official was picked up are still sketchy. However, unconfirmed reports say, Hassan Fanah might have surrendered himself.
Banadir Regional spokesperson, Abdfitah Omar Halane told the media that Hassan was handed over to the security services following the operation.
Hassan Fanah who joined ISIS last year came from Middle Jubba Region with intention to surrender to the government as Al-shabaab were pursuing him.
The Federal Government of Somalia has offered a $2000 bounty for the capture of Hassan Fanah