Hussein Moulid - AHN News Africa Correspondent
A Somali government official said Tuesday that at least 12 Al-Qaeda members have crossed into the country from Yemen and Eritrea in the last two weeks, bringing money and military expertise to Somali rebels battling the Western-backed government.
“Some of the suspect came all the way from Yemen through the waters while others flew from Eritrea and all are currently in Somalia,” said treasury minister Abdirahman Omar Osman.
"The terrorist suspects have come to assess the situation on the ground for a possible relocation of Al-Qaeda’s biggest military bases to Somalia since they are facing a lot of pressure in Afghanistan and Iraq,”Abdirahman added.
The minister requested immediate support from the international community to combat the operators.
Somali president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has previously claimed that Al-Qaeda is moving to his country.
The government of Yemen recently claimed that some Al-Qaeda operators have fled to Somalia following government military offensives in the country's northern regions.
The Somali insurgent group Hizbul Islam invited Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden to Somalia on Saturday to help fight against the Somali government and African Union.
Source: AHN
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