Ugandan forces battling Al Shabaab in Lower Shabelle towns during the weekend

Ugandan forces battling Al Shabaab in Lower Shabelle towns during the weekend

Heavy laser-guided aerial bombardments at the Al Shabaab camp in SouthernSomalia on Monday by United States Special Forces killed the terrorist group’s commander, Ahmed Abdi al-Muhammad, also known as Ahmed Godane, Chimp Corps report.

The Pentagon announced Friday evening the co-founder of the al-Shabaab jihadist group was killed in the air strikes which destroyed the encampment.
All militants in the area at the time of the onslaught did not srvive.

Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby confirmed today, “The U.S. military undertook operations against Godane on Sept. 1, which led to his death.”

“Removing Godane from the battlefield is a major symbolic and operational loss” to al-Shabaab,” Kirby added in a statement.

“The United States works in coordination with its friends, allies and partners to counter the regional and global threats posed by violent extremist organizations.”

Observers say the killing of extremist organisation’s honcho will demoralise the militants who are now scattered across Somalia after being uprooted from their stronghold areas by UPDF-led AMISOM troops.

Just last week, AMISOM captured Buulomareer town and Kurtunwaarey towns from the fleeing Al Shabaab.

However, officials said the desperate militants are likely to wage retaliatory attacks on civilians or even plan bigger assaults on AMISOM bases.

Army spokesperson Lt Col Paddy Ankunda described the killing of Godane as “a great achievement,” adding, “he has been the chief planner of all Al Shabaab attacks.”

At a Sept. 2 Pentagon news conference, Kirby said manned and unmanned aircraft operated by U.S. special operations forces participated in an airstrike that destroyed an al-Shabaab encampment and a vehicle located at that camp.

Kirby added that the operation was a direct strike against the al-Shabaab network, and specifically against Godane.

He could not confirm whether Godane had been killed in the attack for fear of being embarrassed should he later turn up alive.

Kirby said the operation was carried out after “actionable intelligence” was obtained that suggested that Godane was present at the camp, located south of the Somali capital of Mogadishu, noting that it was too early to tell whether the strike had killed him.

The aircraft fired several Hellfire missiles and laser-guided munitions, and no U.S. forces were present on the ground, either before or after the attack, he added.

Al-Shabaab is a jihadist group based in Somalia.

It has claimed responsibility for last year’s attack on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, which resulted in more than 70 deaths and 200 injured.

The group is also believed to be responsible for many bombings, including suicide attacks in Mogadishu and in central and northern Somalia.