U.S. Airstrike Kills Senior Al-Shabaab Leader in Somalia

NAIROBI, Kenya - A US Africa Command (AFRICOM) precision airstrike carried out on December 24 in collaboration with Somalia's government killed Mohamed Mire, a high-ranking Al-Shabaab official known as Abu Abdirahman, along with another militant, AFRICOM announced on Monday.

The operation occurred approximately 10 kilometers southwest of Kunyo Barrow town within the Lower Shabelle region bordering the capital, Mogadishu.

Mire, who had a significant role in al-Shabaab's administration for 15 years, was the group's interior minister and instrumental in its strategic decisions.

AFRICOM reported that no civilians were harmed during this strike, based on their initial assessment. Amnesty International, has investigated nine of the US air assaults in Somalia since 2019 and has determined that 21 civilians were killed and 11 injured.

Mire had been listed by the US State Department as a specially designated global terrorist under Executive Order 13224 in October 2022.

Operational details are kept confidential for security reasons, but AFRICOM promised to release further information as the situation develops.

GAROWE ONLINE