Sustained military offensive, hard times pushed us to surrender - Al-Shabaab defectors

In the last two weeks alone more than 25 Al-Shabaab fighters have thrown in the towel yielding to the sustained military offensives by government forces coupled with the hard times in their hideouts that forced them to surrender.

On Saturday in Baidoa, eight Al-Shabaab fighters handed themselves to the National Intelligence Security Agency (NISA) at a time when government forces in Southwest State have increased their operations pursuing the militants deep in their hideouts in the latest ongoing operations to flush out the terrorists and bring back peace and normalcy.

“There is an increase in the number of Al-Shabaab fighters handing themselves to the government. In the last two weeks the number has reached 25 fighters who have decamped from the misplaced extremist ideologies and surrendered to authorities in Southwest State,” a Somalia government statement issued today said.

Earlier, a young militant called Hanad also surrendered himself further north of Baidoa in the Galgadud region, Galmudug State, where government forces have been making inroads into Al-Shabaab hideouts. Speaking to State media Hanad said he could no longer persevere and decided to save himself.

“I have been with Al-Shabaab for the last 7 years. I could no longer persevere anymore as life in the bush is getting more and more challenging and the government forces and local clan militias are hot on our heels. Enough is enough,” he was quoted as saying.

Al-Shabaab defector Hanad (sitting) is seen with government forces after his surrender in Galgadud region. (Photo: SNTV)

Further south in the Lower Jubba region, Somalia National Army Special Forces Danab Unit and Jubbaland Forces in a joint operation around Jamaame town along the river Jubba banks the forces reportedly killed more than 50 Al-Shabaab militants and captured several others as they thwarted plans by the group planting improvised explosive devices.

Government pressure

According to the National Counterterrorism Centre, between July and August of 2023, at least 107 Al-Shabaab fighters surrendered to the government. Abdullahi Mohamed Nor, the Director of the National Centre for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism told the media that increased government pressure is a major cause of the defections.

“There are two reasons why the number of Al-Shabaab members surrendering to the government has increased. First, it is the pressure of the ongoing offensive in the country and second, it is that they are making use of the President’s amnesty offer,” he said.

The Somalia government has an open amnesty policy for Al-Shabaab defectors. Anyone who wants out of Al-Shabaab is encouraged to reach out and call certain hotline numbers often shared through targeted messaging or contact authorities or relatives who guide and help them to surrender.

Once they surrender, they are taken through a reintegration process in centres where they are given psychosocial needs help including life skills training to prepare them to reintegrate back into society.

The amnesty programme has seen hundreds of Al-Shabaab fighters surrender including very senior commanders who took the advantage after denouncing the bloody campaign spearheaded by the group.

Security sources the group does not allow members to leave and so anyone who wishes to surrender to the government keeps to himself because it can cost him his life.

A living example to prove that the amnesty offer works is Somalia’s current Minister of Religious Affairs and Endowment Sheikh Mukhtar Robow, a former Al-Shabaab Deputy Commander and Spokesman, who is among the group’s founders.

He is to date the most high-ranking defection from the group. Many have followed in his footsteps and denounced extremism. He surrendered to the government in August 2017 and has since joined the government and was appointed Minister in August 2022.

Since his re-election in May 2022, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government has spearheaded a three-pronged policy of defeating the Al-Shabaab group, through the ongoing operations, financially, by crippling the group’s sources of income and ideologically by countering the extremists' misplaced doctrine.