Somalia's government on Monday agreed to bring one of the country's militia groups on board ahead of an expected military push against Islamist rebels threatening to topple the administration.
   
The group brought in, Ahlu Sunna Waljamaca (ASWJ), is made up of moderate Sufi Muslims who have been fighting the insurgent groups al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam in central Somalia.
   
Ahlu Sunna's spiritual leader, Sheikh Mahmoud Sheikh Hassan, said the groups would need financial support from the international community to integrate their administrative, leadership and military structures and fight al-Shabaab.
   
"This is not a fight or struggle against people but against an ideology," Hassan said at the signing ceremony in Ethiopia's capital. "The meaning of this agreement is to save the people of Somalia and the reputation of the Islamic faith."
   
"Day of peace"
Somalia has had no effective government for 19 years and Western nations and neighbours say the anarchic country is used as a shelter by militants intent on launching attacks in east Africa and further afield.
   
Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke said Ahlu Sunna would be given five, as yet undetermined, ministries and would appoint deputy commanders of the military, the police and the intelligence services.
   
"This agreement is a victory for peace and a crushing defeat for extremist groups," Sharmarke said at the ceremony. "This day will go into history as the day of peace for the Somali people and the region as a whole."
   
The government has said for several months it will launch a major offensive but has yet to do so. Rebels have stepped up attacks in various parts of the capital this month.
   
"The power sharing deal is likely to reduce Somalia's chaos," said a resident in the Ahlu Sunna held town of Dusamareb in central Somalia "We now smell peace: if the government and Ahlu Sunna have united, the rebels will be pushed from opposite sides and thus weakened."
   
But Hizbul Islam said Ahlu Sunna would just lose support by joining a government which has little influence outside Mogadishu and is often criticised as being corrupt and divided.

Source: Reuters