Al-Qaeda confirms death of Shabaab general

Al-Qaeda has confirmed that a senior al Shabaab leader in Somalia was killed in a US air strike last month.

A senior commander in al Shabaab, Somalia's al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamist rebels, was killed last month in a US air strike, the group says in an online statement.

Somalia said at the time that its military and allied foreign troops had killed the man identified as Ali Moahmed Hussein or Ali Jabal, believed responsible for several bombings.

It did not disclose the nationality of the foreign troops, but American soldiers have in the past taken part in such raids.

"The cowardly American enemy planes tried to strike him. The first missed him and the second hit, making him a martyr," said the al Qaeda statement circulated on social media on Saturday .

Somalia said last month that Ali Jabal's death would "reduce al Shabaab's ability to conduct senseless acts of violence against the people of Somalia, its East African neighbours, and the international community".

The insurgents have carried out frequent attacks in the capital Mogadishu as they bid to topple Somalia's Western-backed government and drive out African Union peacekeeping troops.

Somalia has been at war since 1991, when clan-based warlords overthrew dictator Siad Barre and then turned on each other.


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Watch now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world