Somalia offers amnesty for surrendered Al Shabaab militants
Abdullahi Mohamed Noor, Senior Advisor to the Somalia President and the Director of the Tubsan Center, speaks during the centre's launch in Mogadishu.
What you need to know:
Tubsan Centre, a first of its kind in the country, will be used to assist in the prevention and countering violent extremism.
- Somalia Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre says Al-Shabaab's economic, ideological and military power has been weakened.
Somalia has opened the door for Al Shabaab militants who choose to cut links with the outlawed terrorist group to surrender and undergo rehabilitation.
Somalia Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre made the offer when he officially inaugurated and operationalized the Tubsan (Right path) Centre.
The centre, a first of its kind in the country, will be used to assist in the prevention and countering violent extremism in Somalia.
The inauguration was graced by high ranking government officials, including ministers, members of parliament, envoys, and civil society organizations.
Most of the invited guests stressed the need for Somalia to get rid of terrorists in the country, who have continued to cause havoc within and without.
Fight against terrorists
They underlined the importance of the government and other stakeholders in the fight against terrorists, and especially the outlawed Al Shabaab group.
The PM noted that Al-Shabaab's economic, ideological and military power has been weakened.
He challenged Tubsan to eradicate the perverted ideas of the terrorist groups who are lying about Islam ideology, calling on radicalised Somali to take advantage of the government's offer for amnesty.
Officials and guests follow proceedings during the launch of Tubsan Center in Mogadishu.
The Prime Minister urged the leadership of Tubsan to instil peace and patriotism on young Somalis returning from Al-Shabaab.
"Today, as we launch the Tubsan Center we have advanced our ideological fight ensuring that the seeds of extremist thought find no ground in the minds of our Youth,” said the Prime Minster.
Senior Advisor to the President and the Director of the Tubsan Center, Abdullahi Mohamed Noor, said the agenda of Tubsan Center is to fight deviant ideas.
Countering violent extremism
"The Federal Government of Somalia places a high priority on advancing the agenda of preventing and countering violent extremism at Federal and State level, we therefore request our International partners to support the implementation of the action plans,” Noor said.
Somalia and her neighours have been adversely affected by the consistent Al Shabaab attacks which have led to deaths of thousands and destruction of property worth millions of shillings.
In Kenya, which borders Somalia to the East, dozens of citizens have been killed in Al Shabaab attacks in Garissa, Moyale, and Lamu.
The attacks have pushed away investors and slowed down growth of the economy.
