Somalis are celebrating reports of thedefeat of the Islamic fundamentalist group al-Shabab after several members oftheir fighters were killed Sunday in fierce clashes in central Somalia.Al-Shabab,described as by Washington as a terrorist organization, clashed with Islamistgroup Ahlu Sunna Waljamaca for control of central Somalia as Ethiopian troops began their crucialwithdrawal. Several al-Shabab militant fighters were reported killed and theirweapons seized. Sheik Abdulkarim Risakis a senior officer of the Islamic group Ahlu Sunna Waljamaca. He tellsreporter Peter Clottey that his fighters will continue fighting al-Shabab untilthey are flushed out of Somalia.
"Asyou already know, early in the morning they (al-Shabab) came from differentplaces to Gruael. You know, most of the Somalis call them al-Shabab, but in theSomali language we say they are al-Shaar because they are evil really. Theycome fighting in different places and killed a lot of people, but Allahwilling, we saved our people and we pushed them back some kilometers," Risak noted.
He said his Ahlu SunnaWaljamaca fighters would continue to protect mainstream defenseless Somalis.
"We are defending ourselves.We are defending our wives. And we are defending our religion. Our religionprohibits Muslims fighting among ourselves, and you know, these people are notMuslims at all. They are foreign fighters, and I think they are al-Qaeda. Butal-Qaeda is not functioning here in Somalia," he said.
Risak said his group is fullof devout Muslims who pleaded with al-Shabab not to attack them, but claimsthat was not heeded.
"In here we consider Islamas a very good religion and we are not at war with anybody. We already toldthem to please not enter into our area of influence and internal affairs, butthey refused that," Risak pointed out.
He said his group wouldcontinue to flush out fighters belonging to al-Shabab.
"Thanks to Allah, we havetaught them a lesson today because they left at least 50 persons dead. And Ithink most of them are foreigners, and maybe they might be coming from SouthEast Asia. And today they have received a good lesson. And I think they wouldnot fight again because this is the latest casualties they have received inGureal... and now we are moving to the capital, Mogadishu. We will continue tochase them wherever they are, and even if they are in a corner of our country,I think we would not stop our fighting," he said.
Meanwhile, Somali political analysts say there is a highpossibility that the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops could usher in a newchapter of violence, adding that it may also open a window of opportunity tobring some Islamist groups into the political process and form a broad,inclusive government.
Some witnesses of Sunday's clashes between al-Shabab andAhlu Sunna Waljamaca say at least 20 people, mostly fighters of al-Shabab, werekilled.