US puts $33m prize on the heads of Al Qaeda-affiliated Somali terrorists
The US for the first time has announced millions of dollars in rewards in exchange for information that would lead to the arrest of top leaders of the Somali militant group Al Shabaab which has declared its allegiance to global terror network Al Qaeda.
A reward of $7 million has been put on Al Shabab's founder and commander Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamud Godane.
The announcement comes as African Union forces made key advances against the group in Somalia.
Al Shabab controls much of the country but is already under pressure from Ethiopian troops, pro-government militias and the African Union force, which has US and European funding.
African Union and Somali government forces last week captured the town of Afmadow, a strategic militant base in the south of the country.
Announcing the bounty on top Al Shabaab members, Robert Hartung, an assistant director at the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security, told Reuters that the announcement was "a signal that the US government is sending that it takes the fight against terrorism very seriously".
"This is the first time we've had key leaders of Al Shabaab as part of the Rewards for Justice programme."
Al Shabaab and Al Qaeda forged their alliance in February when they announced that they were formally merging.
According to The Daily Telegraph, hundreds of foreign fighters some of whom have battled international forces in Iraq and Afghanistan have travelled to Somalia to swell Al Shabaab's ranks.
Appearing on the video, Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamud Godane, who is also known as Mukhtar Abu Zubair, said he "pledged obedience" to Al Qaeda head Ayman al-Zawahiri, who has a $25m bounty on his head.
The US has also offered money for six other key members of Al Shabab in a total fund of over $30 million.
At least $5 million each has been offered for co-founder Ibrahim Haji Jama, financier Fuad Mohamed Khalaf, also known as Shongole, military commander Bashir Mohamed Mahamoud, spokesperson Mukhtar Robow, also known as Abu Mansur.
In addition, $3 million each reward has been offered for intelligence chief Zakariya Ismail Ahmed Hersi and senior leader Abdullahi Yare.
Source: The Africa News.Net
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