Islamic militia leader defects to Somalia government

Mogadishu: Somalia's information minister said on Sunday that a key Islamic militia leader has defected to the government.

The Somali government has been under fierce attack from Islamic insurgents.

Information Minister Farhan Ali Mahmoud said Shaikh Yusuf Indahaadde left the Islamic insurgents late on Saturday.

Until his defection, Indahaadde led the militia of a faction of a key Islamic insurgent group, the Islamic Party.

The leader of that faction, Shaikh Mohammad Amey, has confirmed his group will fight with government forces.