Berbera (Sunatimes) Somalia’s breakaway administration of Somaliland has arrested Al-Shabaab’s Amniyad brigade second-in-command at the Port city of Berebera, reports say.

Amniyad is a special brigade of the militia group tasked with security and intelligence.

Somaliland’s Sahil police boss, Abdirahman Mohamed confirmed to the media that they arrested the militant man whose name was not made public.

But well informed sources close to the area police told Bar-kulan that the man is Isse Sulub Ige, who is believed to be one of the fugitive militia leaders fleeing Southern Somalia. Ige I said to be second commander of the group’s security apparatus, the Amniyad.

Police say the man will soon be arraigned in court for his alleged militancy.

If confirmed, his arrest will weaken the already ailing militant group militarily and morally as it will be a victory for the Somali government battling the outlawed group.

The group has in the recent months suffered financial and leadership crisis as well as losing important figures including the Comoros born Fazul Abdllah Mohamed who was killed in the Somali capital earlier this year.

Its leader, Ahmed Godane, has recently criticized some of his colleagues for giving up hope of victory and abandoning the struggle against the government and African peacekeeping forces in Mogadishu.

In an audio message sent to the media on the eve of Eid, Ahmed Godane said his fighters would keep up attacks against government troops and foreign peacekeepers despite the retreat.

The militant leader who down played his group’s military weakness, claimed that they neither abandoned the fight nor weakened and promised to launch a new phase of fighting against TFG and Amisom, which he said will prove their military capability.

His comments showed the divisions within the Al-Qaeda-affiliated group’s ranks as government forces and African Union peacekeepers battled them in the capital, ultimately forcing them to withdraw from most of their bases there.

By Dahir Alasow