Former al-Shabab leader donates blood to help victims of Mogadishu bombing

Mukhtar Roobow, a former commander in Somalia's militant Islamist group al-Shabaab has been photographed donating blood to survivors of the truck bombing in the capital, Mogadishu.

Robow defected to the government over the weekend.  He was one of the founders of al-Shabab, along with other radical leaders following the defeat of the Islamic Courts Union in late 2006.  

He quickly rose in the group's ranks to become its official spokesman and a deputy leader.  He, however, fell out with the al-Qaeda-linked group’s leadership in 2013, and remained a fugitive in the remote areas of south-western Somalia until his surrender.  

In June, the US State Department withdrew Mr Robow from its terror list and lifted the $5m (£3.8m) reward for information leading to his capture.  He announced his defection to the Somali government in August.