Former terrorist appointed as minister in Somalia | Abroad

Somalia has appointed a former terrorist as minister of religious affairs in a new government. Mukhtar Robow Ali, also known as Abu Mansur, has been the deputy leader of al-Shabaab, a group that has been fomenting violence in the Horn of Africa for decades.

He was a high-ranking fighter of the Islamist-militant group affiliated with the Al Qaeda terrorist group. The 52-year-old left al-Shabaab, which he co-founded, in 2013 after a long-running conflict with the leader and distanced himself from it. The United States had put a $5 million bounty on his head until he said goodbye to al-Shabaab.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, elected in May, has pledged to fight al-Shabaab insurgents. Some analysts say the 52-year-old new minister could help bolster government forces in his native Bakool, where rebels control large areas.

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