Somalia based militant group Al-Shabaab has been forced to make changes at the summit of its leadership after its long-serving leader Ahmed Diriye Abu Ubaidah fell ill.
According to Somalia spy agency, the National Intelligence and Security Agency (Nisa), the militant group gave temporary supreme power to Abukar Adan, Ubaidah’s deputy after his senior fell ill.
NISA revealed this on its Twitter page but failed to go deeper into the details of the sickness of Ubaidah.
NISA tweeted: “Because of health concerns, the power of militant group Al-Shabaab has been temporarily transferred to Abukar Adan, his deputy leader.”
“There has been a bitter power struggle between a section led by Mahad Karate and supporters of Abu Ubaidah on the nomination of a new leader.”
Apart from this, the militant group, which has caused havoc in the horn of Africa and North and Coastal parts have Kenya has been rocked by internal division. They have been divided on which global jihadist movement to pledge allegiance. The group currently eyes Al-Qaeda and ISIS as the factions to associate with.
US Statement Department slapped over Sh600 million bounty on Ubaidah’s head in 2015 for orchestrating various terrorist activities.
He had replaced Ahmed Abdi Godane who was killed in a US drone strike in September 2014.
The offer also roped in Mahad Karate popularly known as Abdirahman Mohamed Warsame. Warsame is believed to be one of the architects who of the April 2, 2015 attack on Garissa University College that killed 148 people.
Al-Shabaab is battling for control of the Somali government with the intention of enforcing the Sharia laws in the country.
