According to UK based newspaper Daily Mail Somali armed group Al Shabaab is considering to ditch its long time affiliate Al Qaida and join Islamic state.
The newspaper is reporting secret meeting between top Al Shabaab figures inside Somalia to decide whether to join Islamic state or not.
The meeting is said to have taken place in undisclosed location in the Middle Shabelle region which is approximately 200 miles from the capital Mogadishu which is controlled by the Somali government.
It is unclear why the group want to leave its long international affiliate Al Qaida and join Islamic state which has grabbed international headlines recently.
There has been speculations some months ago by Somali media that Al Shabaab has pledged allegiance to Islamic State of Iraq and Levant which has its self-declared head quarter in Syrian city of Raqa.
The report comes as the group has intensified attacks against the Somali government and African Union troops in the country during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Over 14 people were killed including Al Shabaab fighters when the group launched attacks in two popular hotels in Mogadishu on Friday evening.
