Founder of Al Shabab to contest elections in Somalia

A former commander of militant Islamist group al-Shabab has announced he is running for public office in Somalia.
Mukhtar Robow left the group in 2012, and surrendered to the government in August last year.
He says he will be contesting the presidency of the South-West state in next month’s regional elections following requests from people in the area.
Mr Robow has expressed his willingness, if he wins, to forge a strong relationship with the federal government, which has been feuding with some state administrations.
A founder of al-Shabab, he is the highest ranking militant to defect from the group.