Monday July 22, 2019
US-based Islamic scholar Christopher Anzalone insists that most wanted terrorist within the Horn of Africa Abdulkadir Mumin is still alive despite reports about his alleged death.
Mr Mumin, who is wanted by both the US and KDF for sponsoring coordinated attacks against peace keepers in Somalia, was believed to have been killed in a US airstrike in March this year.
Believed to be 70 years old, Mumin is yet to appear in public despite his Islamic State faction being active in several regions within the war torn Somalia.
"The latest installment in IS media's ongoing bay'a renewal series comes from Somalia & shows small groups of IS-Somalia militants. Most noteworthy is the first new substantial footage of IS-Somalia chief 'Abdi Qadir Mu'min in years, who the film claims is still alive," he wrote.
"Abdi Qadir Mu'min appears with only just over a dozen IS-Somalia members, many in camouflage uniforms different from those normally worn by Al-Shabab, and other footage shows very small groups elsewhere in undisclosed parts of the country," he added.
Similar claims were confirmed by Voice of Africa journalist Harun Maruf who said the leader of the second largest terrorist group was alive based on the clip that has since gone viral.
In the clip, Mumin is surrounded by a group of fighters around 15 of them who positions themselves as he delivers a speech confirming that he's still active.
"Amid recent reports of ill health, the leader of pro-Islamic State militants in Somalia Abdulkadir Mumin has appeared in a new video renewing pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. Mumin, believed to be in his 70s is accompanied by a group of about 15 men in the 4:45 video," he said.
The clip comes hours after Army Commander Lieutenant General Walter Raria visited Somalia where he motivated KDF troops who are engaged in an active war.