Al-Shabab extremists offered amnesty by Somali government

Somalia’s government has offered amnesty to fighters with al-Shabab, the Islamic extremist group whose leader was targeted on Monday night in a U.S. airstrike.

Following a Cabinet-level security meeting on Tuesday, Somali authorities are giving al-Shabab militants 45 days to take up the offer, Security Minister Khalif Ahmed Ereg announced yesterday.

He said the government “will create a better livelihood to build their future for those who meet the deadline.”

The offer of amnesty comes after a U.S. airstrike that targeted al-Shabab leader Ahmed Abdi Godane, whose fate remains unclear as U.S. and Somali officials assess the outcome of the attack.