Unity bid by Somali Islamists a failure

Mogadishu, SundayNews is gradually emerging that underground meeting between the two radical Islamist groups opposing the Transitional Federal Government in Somalia, namely al Shabaab and Hizbu Islam, failed to secure a merger between the two movements.Sources close to Hizbu Islam told Shabelle, a major media house in Mogadishu, and other news outlets that the attempt to unite the two groups has not achieved the desired objective.Initially, according to the sources, Hizbu Islam officials agreed to merge with al Shabaab by surrendering both its manpower and weaponry. However, the movement led by hardliner Islamist, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, has hesitated to surrender to Al-Shabaab without conditions.Instead, unnamed officials from Hizbu Islam proposed a power sharing formula to unite the two sides.
Al-Shabaab leaders rejected the proposal, citing that their movement is militarily fitter, economically stronger and commanding much wider territory.
The alleged al Qaeda-inspired group, al Shabaab, has shown little interest in power sharing. Its leaders have learnt from what happened to the Union of the Islamic Courts (UIC), a coalition a various Islamist groups that ruled Mogadishu and most of southern and central regions of Somalia for six months.

The UIC split when crushed by Ethiopian forces that supported the TFG in December 2006.
There are indications that some Al-Shabaab and Hizbu Islam officials are scheduled to meet for further discussions. However, no side officially announced either the failed meeting or the planned talks and the likely participants. In this year, a number of authorities, militias and influential individuals defected from Hizbu Islam and joined al Shabaab. The most high profile shift of loyalty was the hardliner Islamist, Sheikh Hassan Abdullahi Hersi alias Sheikh Hassan Turki, the deputy leader of Hizbu Islam and long time colleague of Sheikh Aweys, who joined Al-Shabaab in February this year.Sheikh Aweys himself stated on 23rd of July that his movement was in negotiation with Al-Shabaab. However, he made no particular remarks about the talks that have reportedly failed. ABDULKADIR KHALIF, NATION Correspondent