MOGADISHU,(insidesomalia.org)- Somali government troops today arrested a prominent cleric in southern district of Friday morning, witnesses said.

Sheikh Mohamed Hussein, who is also the imam of Hamaweyne district’s Fiyore mosque, was detained as he was heading to his home. Crowd of people tried to prevent the arrest, but stepped aside when confronted by the soldiers.

Several people on the street arrested from the cleric shouted "Allahu Akbar!", or "God is Great!" and jostled with the soldiers as they pushed the cleric, dressed in a black robe and turban, out to army vehicle to take him into prison.

 Troops put Sheikh Hussein in a military fighting vehicle and drove him away.

 It’s yet unknown the motive behind the cleric’s arrest.

Somali forces have been battling Islamist fighters since late 2006 when joint Ethiopian-Somali troops drove out the Islamists from power. 

Source: Shabelle Media Network