Washington scraps reward for al-Shabaab leader

The Trump administration has quietly rescinded a reward of up to $5m for information about a top member of the al-Qaeda-allied extremist group al-Shabaab in Somalia. Voice of America reports that the move comes amid claims that Sheikh Mukhtar Robow may be in talks with the Somali Government to leave al-Shabaab. In June 2012, the State Department offered the reward for information on Robow that brought him ‘to justice’. At the time, Robow was still considered a top leader of al-Shabaab, having served periods as its spokesperson, spiritual leader and military commander. But soon afterward, Robow exiled himself from the group because of long-running disputes with its emir, Ahmed Abdi Godane.