Somalia says it killed Al-Shabaab terror group co-founder
Somalia’s federal government said that one of the al-Shabaab co-founders, Abdullahi Nadir, was killed during an operation in the Shabaab-controlled area of Haramka by government security forces on Saturday.
The government said in a statement on Sunday that Abdullahi Nadir, aka Abdullahi Yare and Ubeyd, held various positions within al Shabab, including head of finance and media operations.
Yare, who had an active $3m bounty on his head by the US since 2012, was also a target for the Somali government.
Somalia’s intelligence agency tracked down Yare in a small town in southern Middle Juba.
Government officials believe that Yare was a prime candidate to succeed the current leader Ahmed Diriye, who is reportedly terminally ill.
Al Shabab did not comment on the killing of one of its co-founders.
The Somali military has launched a multi-pronged offensive against Al Shabaab in several parts of the country with the assistance of local allied militia and international partners.
The forces recaptured 20 villages occupied by the Al-Shabab, killing more than 100 al-Shabab fighters and liberating 20 towns from the al-Qaida-affiliated group.
Military officials said the retaken villages include several critical locations in the Hiiraan region, including the small town of Fidow near Somalia’s border with Ethiopia.