Somalia’s Al Shabab militants now in Puntland, says President

The President of the semi-autonomous region of Puntland, Abdirahman Farole, says that Islamist Al Shabab militants have moved north into his territory after being pushed out of central Somalia.

The BBC says that Farole is claiming they are there to strengthen ties with Al Qaeda in nearby Yemen, explaining that the groups merged in February.

"We believe that these militants and their senior officials are a threat to the security of our region," Farole is quoted as saying.

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The rebels have been facing heavy pressure from African Union and Ethiopian forces around the Somali capital Mogadishu and in southern Somalia, Associated Press reports.

The news agency says that this is part of the reason that the fighters have moved to Puntland's Galgala Mountains, which is regarded as a key stronghold for militants.

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Meanwhile, according to the Somali news service Mareeg.com, the president of Somalia’s Transitional Federal government Sheik Sharif sheik Ahmed is prepared to help Puntland protect itself from the threat of Al Shabab.

“There is a military plan set up to launch an offensive against militants who are regrouping in Galgala mountains," the president is quoted as saying, adding: "God willing we will defeat them".

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