Mogadishu - The U.S. military on Friday confirmed it killed a high-level commander of the Al-Shabaab extremist group with an airstrike in Somalia over the weekend, targeting a man blamed for planning deadly attacks in the capital of the Horn of Africa nation. President Donald Trump earlier this year approved expanded military operations against the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab, including more aggressive airstrikes and considering parts of southern Somalia areas of active hostilities. Al-Shabaab is the deadliest Islamic extremist group in Africa. A U.S. Africa Command statement said the strike on July 30 killed Ali Mohamed Hussein, also known as Ali Jabal. The statement said he was "was responsible for leading Al-Shabaab forces operating in the Mogadishu and Banadiir regions in planning and executing attacks against the capital of Mogadishu." Ali also had served as the extremist group's shadow governor for Mogadishu and had been one of Al-Shabaab's most outspoken officials. The statement said the airstrike occurred near Tortoroow, an Al-Shabaab stronghold in Lower Shabelle region in southern Somalia "as a direct response to Al-Shabaab actions, including recent attacks on Somali forces." It said no civilians were killed in the strike. The U.S. Africa Command has told The Associated Press it was a drone strike. Al-Shabaab often carries out deadly attacks on high-profile targets in Mogadishu, including Somali military and African Union checkpoints and facilities, hotels and the area around the presidential palace. The extremist group also has carried out deadly attacks in neighboring countries, notably Kenya, calling it retribution for sending troops to Somalia to fight it. The killing of Ali "disrupts Al-Shabaab's ability to plan and conduct attacks in Mogadishu and coordinate efforts between Al-Shabaab regional commanders," the U.S. statement said.
