Missile raid targeted top Shabaab leaders
The Sunday night missile attack near Mogadishu targeted a meeting of top Al-Shabaab commanders. (READ: Missiles strike rebels as more support Kenya)
Among those at the meeting at the militants’ bases were spiritual leader Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, Ahmad Godane Abu Zubayr and a Mr ‘Amerika’.
The whereabouts of the three remained unknown on Tuesday night amid reports that they had been killed.
“There were air strikes in Afgoye and K50, which are controlled by Al-Shabaab. The area of concentration was Afgoye where the three Al-Shabaab commanders were holding a meeting.
“We are informed that they hit their targets,” said African Union Mission for Somalia deputy special representative Wafula Wamunyinyi.
Mr Wamunyinyi could not, however, confirm whether the three were killed or injured during the strikes, saying information from the ground was still scanty.
He could also not confirm whether the air strikes were carried out by the Kenyan forces or the African Union troops. (READ: Explosions heard in rebel controlled Somalia town)
“All we know at the moment is that the allied forces hit their targets, some militants were killed and others were injured but it is difficult to tell because the militants who control the town have blocked anybody from reaching the scene,” he said.
In Nairobi, President Kibaki welcomed the support Kenya was receiving from regional governments in its drive to wipe out Al-Shabaab.
The Head of State said a stable and peaceful Somalia would create an environment conducive for development in the region. The President was officially opening a regional infrastructure conference in Nairobi.
He added: “I therefore welcome the support Kenya has obtained from both its citizens and regional governments as we embark on the operation to deal with militants based in Somalia who have sought to destabilise our economies.”
East African Community members Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi are among those that have backed the joint Kenya’s armed forces and Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government soldiers to weed out the rag-tag militia.
Kenya also has support from the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development members with Djibouti offering troops to hold areas taken over from Al-Shabaab.
The country also has backing from the European Union, the US, Japan, South Africa and Egypt among others. Media reports claimed that two Al-Shabaab commanders were killed in the Sunday raid on Afgoye.
They quoted Somali officials claiming that Sheikh Dahir Aweys and Mr Gobane were killed in a massive blast in the town located about 32 kms west of Mogadishu.
The explosion was at a “compound” known to be used by the militants, according to Sunatimes and Mareeg Online.
