MOGADISHU, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Five al-Shabab militants including a senior bomb expert have surrendered to the Somali government this week, officials said on Thursday.
The ministry of information said Yusuf Ahmed Adow, an al-Shabab bomb expert, was the latest to defect to the Somalia National Army (SNA) forces in Gedo region in southern Somalia, bringing the number of defectors to five.
"A senior al-Shabab bomb expert, Yusuf Ahmed Adow has today surrendered to Somali National Armed Forces (SNA) in Garbaharey, Gedo region," said the ministry.
Adow and another al-Shabab fighter, Ahmed Aden, another al-Shabab explosive assembler surrendered to the government forces on Thursday while three militants defected to the government forces in Garbaharey, Dollow and Bardere towns on Tuesday.
Regional government officials said those who have surrendered would be handed over the authorities in Mogadishu.
The latest defections come amid intensified military operations against the militant group which is fighting to overthrow the internationally-backed government.
