US yet to confirm death of senior Al-Shabaab leader in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Despite confirming an airstrike targeting a senior Al-Shabaab leader in Somalia, the US army is yet to reveal the actual identity of the terrorist, who is said to have been on trial for some time before meeting his death on December 17th within Jilib town.

At Middle Jubba, the US Africa Command which is responsible for such communication said, the airstrike left one militant dead, and "no civilian casualties were reported". The information was verified two days after the airstrike with a joint effort with the Somali National Army.

But the death of Maalin Ayman was announced by the Somali Chief of Defence Forces General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhydin, who said the most wanted terrorist had been killed in the airstrike, terming the incident as one of the most successful operations in 'recent weeks'.

Ayman was the leader of Jaysh Ayman, an al-Shabaab unit conducting terror attacks and operations in Kenya. He was the mastermind of the Jan. 5, 2020, terror attack on US and Kenyan personnel at the Manda Bay Airfield in the coastal region of Lamu.

The attack in Manda Bay Airfield left three Americans dead and almost created a rift between the US Africa Command and Kenya Defence Forces who were accused of "doing little" to help their colleagues under attack. However, KDF dismissed the claims insisting that it contributed in responses.

Daudi Aweis, Somalia’s minister for information, also confirmed the death, terming it a "significant gain" in the fight against Al-Shabaab. The minister reiterated the government's effort to restore a peaceful Somalia while investing in the fight against the group.

"The killing of terrorist Maalim Ayman highlights the Somali government’s resolve to punish those responsible for the merciless acts of violence against our people," he said. "Our vision is to establish a peaceful Somalia that’s internally cohesive and in harmony with its neighbors and the world."

Somalia successfully challenged the arms embargo imposed on it by the UN Security Council and the body lifted sanctions last month, paving the way for the purchase of sophisticated weapons in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants. The government has pledged to eliminate the group by the end of 2024.

GAROWE ONLINE