Al-Shabaab Declares War On IS In Somalia

Somalia militant group Al-Shabaab has vowed to destroy the pro-Islamic State militants in the country.

The al-Shabab leadership in a 42-minute broadcast accused Islamic State (IS) group fighters of “spoiling the ongoing jihad in Somalia”. Through their spokesperson, Ali Mohamud, the group called on its fighters to carry out attacks to wipe out IS fighters.

Mohamud said the IS fighters were “a deadly disease” and “a cancer”.

IS has been mounting noticeably more attacks in Somalia in recent months, following the group’s loss of its “caliphate” heartlands in Syria and Iraq late last year.

In recent months the Pro IS group led by the Puntland based Sheikh Abdulkadir Mumin has been targeting businesses and staff of some of Somalia’s top companies.

Last Friday Al-Shabaab fighters made a surprise attack on a group of militants in the Al-Miskaad mountains killing three and capturing one. On Saturday IS launched a revenge attack and claimed to have killed 14 Al-Shabaab fighters.