...
the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord...Regional commissioner Mohammed Birik said the government was profiling Kenyans who may have been recruited into the militia.
He said that the government would offer amnesty to local al-Shabaab members if they came forward.
Mr. Birik said asked the recruits to denounce the group and even seek the government’s help.
"I want to assure those who will surrender within the three months period will be pardoned. This message should reach everybody. We will also ensure their safety," Birik said.
Birik noted that although the government has put measures to restore and sustain security in the region, the residents have even a bigger role to play.
"Criminals live within communities and it is necessary that residents volunteer relevant information to security officers," he said.
The administrator directed chiefs and their assistants operating from urban centers to immediately go back to their duty stations, saying their absence was partly to blame for insecurity in parts of the region.