Foreign militants do not enjoy universal acceptance in Somalia's al-Shabaab but outside powers will find it hard to use their presence to divide and weaken the hardline Islamist insurgency, a U.S. military official said.
A collection of militants from countries as diverse as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Sudan and the Comoros are the driving force behind the hardline radical group, which controls swathes of south and central Somalia, several analysts have said.
Some analysts see potential for fomenting divisions, since more nationalist al Shabaab footsoldiers share few of the global ambitions of the al Qaeda-aligned foreigners, who include some diaspora Somalis who left homes in the West to join the group.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the foreigners' presence was constantly discussed in al-Shabaab, perhaps due in part to a perennial wariness about outsiders.
But this same sensitivity to outsiders meant any attempt by governments who oppose them to cause rifts would be difficult.
"There are some foreigners among the Islamic insurgency and that is an issue of tension - to what extent do you want these foreigners helping out?" said the official, speaking in a briefing on U.S. military support for governments in the region.
By: Brant
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