US air strike targets senior Somali militant: Pentagon

[Bosonic]

Source: AFP

US war planes carried out a strike in southern Somalia on Monday targeting a senior leader of the Shebab militia, the Pentagon said, without giving any details of casualties.

Military spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said the raid hit a target in Saakow, shortly after the Islamist rebel group's intelligence chief surrendered to government and African Union forces.

Read more: https://za.news.yahoo.com/us-air-strike-targets-senior-somali-militant-pentagon-221656821.html

[jakeXT]

1. A working link from the BBC

The US did not identify the leader targeted in the latest strike or say whether the strike was successful.

The statement continued: "We are assessing the results of the operation and will provide additional information, when appropriate, as details become available."

The air strike came two days after top al-Shabab militant, Zakariya Ahmed Ismail Hersi, gave himself up.

Mr Hersi, a leading figure in the militant group's intelligence wing, surrendered to police in the Gedo region.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-30629546

[cosmicone]

2. cool n/t

[Eugene]

3. Key militant leader killed in U.S. air strike, Somalia says

Source: Reuters

Key militant leader killed in U.S. air strike, Somalia says

BY ABDI SHEIKH
MOGADISHU Tue Dec 30, 2014 11:12am EST

(Reuters) - The leader of a unit of the Somali militant group al Shabaab was killed by a U.S. air strike in Somalia, Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency said on Tuesday.

"With the help of the Somali national security and intelligence agency and its U.S. counterpart, an al Shabaab leader was killed last night," the security agency said in a statement.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

The Somali statement said the leader, who it identified as Abdishakur, also known as Tahliil, was the head of Amniyat, an elite unit blamed for suicide attacks in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/30/us-usa-somalia-airstrike-idUSKBN0K814U20141230