‘Settle Yemen crisis to help Somalia’

Video shows executions of AU troops

UNITED NATIONS, United States, Nov 10, (Agencies): Ending the crisis in Yemen is crucial to prevent Islamic State jihadists from shoring up Somalia’s weakened Shebab, Somalia’s prime minister said Monday.

Prime Minister Omar Sharmarke told a special session of the UN Security Council on Somalia that the Shebab’s recent pledges of allegiance to IS are “not to be taken lightly.”

“Resolution of the crisis Yemen is crucial,” he said.

“Such will go a long way in keeping Al-Shebab from accruing support from ISIS, using Yemen as a conduit or launching pad.”

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The Shebab, meaning “youth” in Arabic, emerged out of an insurgency against Ethiopia, whose troops entered Somalia in a 2006 US-backed invasion to topple the Islamic Courts Union that was then controlling the capital Mogadishu.

The Somali Islamic extremist group Shebab had released a video showing its members executing African Union soldiers during an attack on their base in Somalia in September.

The video, reported Tuesday by SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadi activities, shows armed fighters rampaging through what looks like a camp for Ugandan troops.