Hundreds of al-Shabaab militant group insurgents have surrendered to the government and renounced violence, the Somali government has said.
According to the government spokesman, Ridwan Abdiweli, a number of 503 jihadist fighters surrendered to the government and others are expected.
‘’ In the past 45 days, 503 fighters have surrendered to the government and we are in talks with other 153 who are willing to surrender,’’ he said during a Press Conference.
Last month, the government declared amnesty for fighters and officials returning from the al-Qaeda-linked militant group, following the killing of their leader Ahmed Abdi Godane.
Al-Shabaab officials haven’t yet commented on the claim.
It’s the largest number of al-Shabaab fighters have once surrendered to the government.
Over the weekend, al-Shabaab lost its last major stronghold in Southern Somalia, Barawe, after coming under pressure from the allied AMISOM and Somali government troops.
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