Somalia President Says He Seeks Political Solution to Conflict

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud said his government is seeking a political solution in addition to military action to end an al-Qaeda-linked insurgency that has gripped his nation for nearly a decade.

“One thing is for sure, we do not intend to end the phenomenon of al-Shabaab with the barrel of the gun only, there is always reconciliation,” Mohamoud told a conference in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday. “We already have results. A very good number of mid-level commanders have reconciled with the government and come back into the mainstream.”