By Younis Ahmed, staff writer
Mogadishu – The Somali government has revealed that the notorious extremist group Al-Shabaab faces challenges in the recruitment of new militants, due to various of challenges including the ongoing terror finance countering measures.
According to a statement released by the Ministry of Information on Friday, one of the main factors contributing to Al-Shabaab’s recruitment woes is a significant decrease in their finances as the group has reportedly lost a substantial amount of funding, which has hampered their ability to attract new fighters.
Additionally, the federal government pointed out that many young people who had previously joined Al-Shabaab have since surrendered and returned to their communities, as they were given the opportunity to reconsider their decision.
The statement also highlighted the immense pressure that Al-Shabaab has been exerting on their remaining fighters as a reason for their recruitment struggles amid reports of harsh treatment of their own members, and the constant attacks on their hideouts, have reportedly made it difficult for them to attract new recruits.
According to the government statement, the Somali people have become increasingly aware of Al Shabaab’s tactics and have actively joined the fight against the extremist group. As a result, Al Shabaab has found it challenging to hide among the local population and recruit new members.
“The number of people remaining in the group has been decreasing since the government’s operations against Al-Shabaab started,” stated the Ministry of Information in their release, suggesting that the ongoing efforts to combat the group have also hindered their ability to recruit new fighters.
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