"Defending the land of Muslims in Somalia": al-Shabaab leadership against Turkish-Somali agreement with Ethiopia.

Two days ago, al-Kataib Media, official media of Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahidin, issued a lengthy statement titled “Defending religion and homeland is a legitimate duty.”

The statement comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's announcement of a reconciliation between the Somali government and Ethiopia to settle the dispute over the Somaliland region, which would allow Addis Ababa to gain an outlet to the sea in exchange for recognition of the separatist region's sovereignty.

The press office statement, published in English and Somali and translated into Arabic by the Shahada News agency, states the following:

“The Mujahideen Youth Movement announces its categorical rejection of the invalid agreement signed last night by the apostate administration led by Hassan Mahmoud and the Ethiopian government in Ankara, as expected by the Turkish government.”