MOGADISHU (Reuters) – The one-time deputy leader of Somali Islamist militants al Shabaab called on Tuesday for others to quit the group following his defection to the government side in Mogadishu.

Mukhtar Robow Abu Mansur, who was also al Shabaab’s spokesman, said the group did not represent the interests of those it claimed to.

“I left al Shabaab because of misunderstanding, and I disagreed with their creed which does not serve Islamic religion, people and the country,” he said.

Robow fell out with al Shabaab in 2013, keeping a low profile in the jungles with his forces until defecting last week. The Islamists have launched multiple attacks to try kill or capture him.

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