Somali: Ending Yemen conflict crucial to stop extremists

New York – Somalia’s prime minister says ending the crisis in Yemen is “crucial” to preventing al-Shabaab rebels from exploiting their recent allegiance with the Islamic State extremist group and forming a “terror network” that threatens Somalia and the region again.
Omar Sharmarke told the UN Security Council on Monday that its support is needed more than ever before “to stand with Somalia against this terror network” and end the conflict across the Gulf of Aden in Yemen where Islamic State militants are active.
Despite military gains against al-Shabaab, Sharmarke says the militant group’s recent attacks against African Union and Somali military targets are “disconcerting, to say the least,” and its attacks on hotels show al-Shabab has “yet to be demolished.”
Sharmarke said Somalia encourages international efforts to take out al-Shabaab’s top leadership.