The Somali government confirmed on Wednesday that an Al-Shabaab military commander defected and surrendered to Somali forces outside Mogadishu.
The state-owned media reported that Abdi Hussein Hulbale had surrendered in the Lower Shabelle region.
The defector is held in Qoryooley town of Lower Shabelle region.
Hulbale had been Al-Shabaab’s leader of the Maya village in the Lower Shabelle region for more than 9 years.
Somali military enthusiastically welcomed the defectors, and those who rejected al-Shabaab doctrine and their aberrant behaviour would be cared for.
Somali government forces backed by local clan militias have been fighting al-Shabaab fighters for the past year.
The allied forces captured several towns and villages in Hiiraan, Galgadud, Mudug and Middle Shabelle regions.
The government also claimed to have killed more than 3,000 fighters and injured 37,00 others.
Despite losing many towns and villages to Somali forces, al-Shabaab is still capable of carrying out deadly bombings and attacks in major towns controlled by the Somali government.
The group also storms military bases outside the capital.
