Al Shebab fighters in Mogadishu 2 years ago

Somali security forces have surrendered captured Al-Shebab commander Zakariya Ismail Hersi to Kenyan authorities, a Somali official said Tuesday.

Somali security official Adan Mohamed confirmed to the media that the captured Al-Shebab senior figure was taken by Kenyan military plane to northeast Kenya’s Wajir.

The security official further said the Somali commander Colonel Abass Gurey, who led the operation to detain Hersi last week, has accompanied the Kenyans.

Hersi was captured by Somali security forces near the Kenya- Somalia border on Saturday. Somali security officials earlier declined a request from their Kenyan counterpart to surrender Hersi.

Somalia and Kenya share security cooperation, particularly in the fight against Al-Qaida linked Somali militant group Al-Shabaab, which has threatened the national security of both states.