MOGADISHU (SD) – A senior Al Shabaab leader has ruled out any talks with the new government led by President Hassan Sheikh, Instead, and expressed hope that they would take over the country.

Al-Shabab’s deputy leader, Mahad Karate said in an interview that his group never intends to hold talks with the Somali government and that it did not recognize them.

The senior Al Shabaab leader said he did not recognize the Somali government and was not ready to talk to a government opposed to Islamic law.

The Al-Shabaab leader with a US $ 5 million bounty on his head says he hopes they take over Somalia in the near future and rule in accordance with Islamic law.

Al-Shabaab’s statement comes as Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud recently said his government was ready for talks with the militant group.