(MENAFN- SomTribune) The Somalia Islamist fighters, Al-Shabaab, made its presence and influence felt again in regions that come under the Southwest federal state of Somalia.

The Jihadist movement, today, appointed new governors for Bay and Bakool regions splitting them again into two administrative after 8 years of being governed by one Amir until now.

The Group made Sheikh Osman Abu Abdurahman Amir of Bay region. For Bakool Emirate – as they call it, it appointed Sheikh Hamza Abu Jaffar.

Southwest State is one of the states whose administration is closely aligned with the caretaker president of Somalia, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed ‘Farmajo’.

The nomination of the new governors in a well-attended occasion in open daylight, and so close to a number of the AMISOM/SNA-run military stations in the area indicates a renewed confidence in their unannounced supremacy in those regions.

Somalia, despite the inflow of untold of billions of US Dollars in aid and development funds, is also supported heavily by the international community on security issues. Regional and international bodies invested heavily both in manpower and capital on keeping al-Shabaab at bay. The move, apparently, is still a long off from complete – even near-complete – success with the fighters reigning free over very large swathes of land in both southern and central regions.

Over 30 000 military and police officers from

The re-emergence of the Group as an alternative power in Somalia, again, renews fear of another vise grip on Mogadishu and the seat of the weak, beleaguered administration and international missions.