MOGADISHU (SD) – Somali military has said senior al-Shabaab judge had surrendered himself to the authorities in Qoryoley town of Lower Shabelle region.

Military officials who spoke to the state-owned media said Mohamed Hassan Moalim aka Abu Ali who was the head of al-Shabaab court in Kuntuwarey town has defected from the group on Friday.

“Mohamed Hassan Moalim has defected from Al-Shabaab and now is in the hands of the government forces in Qoryooley town. He contacted military officials who facilitated his surrender,” the military officials told SNTV.

Officials who facilitated his defection said he renounced the group’s ideology.

Somali government has been fighting al-Shabaab fighters in central and southern Somalia.

The country’s forces backed by African Union mission in Somalia (Amisom) have liberated many towns and villages including the capital following days long fighting with al-Shabaab fighters.

Al-Shabaab lost the control of Mogadishu in 2011 after their fighters were defeated by Somali military backed by Amisom forces.