Three Kenyan fighters executed by Al Shabaab

Foreign fighters serving in the Al Shabaab militia are living in fear after three Kenyans were early this month publicly beheaded after being accused of spying. The executions of the three on 10 September in Jillib have caused anxiety and fear among foreign fighters within Al Shabaab ranks.

This brings to seven the number of Kenyan fighters executed in Somalia on suspicion of spying.

Kenyan intelligence reports reveal that Al Shabaab leadership ordered public beheading of the three Kenyans identified as Abdullah Talal Musa, Jared Mukayo Omambia and Hashim Othman Selali for spying on the group.

The long-running mistrust of foreign fighters by the local in Somalia is reported to have led to emergence of factions within the terror organisation whose fortunes have continued to dwindle.

The militant group is battling disintegration due to its different factions which include those that still pledge allegiance to Al Qaeda, the team seeking support from the Islamic State (IS) and the group that seeks to have an independent Al Shabaab that only comprises indigenous Somalis.

“The existence of these factions is causing friction and animosity among members with Kenyan and foreign fighters bearing the brunt of it all. Fear of displacement by the new local and foreign fighters is among the reasons some militants are fighting against the change.

In addition to displacement, those supporting indigenous fighters claim that the terror group appears to have lost its vision now that they are involved in killing innocent Somalis, raping women and abusing drugs and alcohol,” the report further states.

Supporters of one faction linked to the Islamic State led by Ahmed Gurey (head of foreign fighters who is an American with a bounty of Sh5 million on his head) are angling towards ISIS as a source of funding.

Another faction of foreign fighters is led by a Kenyan, Amir Salman, who is often in conflict with the Al Shabaab leader Ahmed Diriye over the killing of Kenyan fighters.

The report further says some militants suspect that he too is an agent of the Kenyan Government.

The intelligence report adds that the situation within Al Shabaab has been complicated further with the continued absence of Diriye who is rumoured to be ailing and has not made a public appearance recently.

“This situation provides grounds for the different factions to seek legitimacy,” the report says.

Other Kenyan fighters killed earlier this year are Nairobi’s Majengo estate-born Asum, Mombasa-born Faraj Abdulmajid and four other fighters from Sudan and Tanzania.