Almotamar.net Agencies - There are conflicting news reports on the arrest of Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed the second man in the Somali Islamic Courts Union at a time the Somali government has kept silent and refused to confirm or deny the news of his arrest.

Spokesman for the government Abdulrahman Dinyari made it clear to the Saudi newspaper Al-Watan that such a news of such importance should be first confirmed by their embassy in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

Many reports had earlier mentioned on Wednesday about the arrest of Sharif at a check-point Damayali as he was on his way hiding among hundreds of Somali refugees on their way to the refugees camp of Rarab in an area nearby the Kenyan borders.
The Ethiopian government information center has pointed out that the Kenyan security authorities have arrested Sharif and put him in custody at the UNHCR, but another source mentioned that Sharif handed himself over to the Kenyan officials t the borders and requested political asylum through the international organization.