US Eliminates Top al-Shabab Commander in Somalia Airstrike
Mire was designated a terrorist by the United States in 2022, stating that he is a senior al-Shabab leader and responsible for decision-making within the group.
AFRICA - After the al-Shabab terrorist organization blamed the United States for a drone strike that it says killed one of its top commanders Mohamed Mire near Kunyo Barrow in Lower Shabelle, U.S. Africa Command released a statement saying that it had conducted a strike targeting the group on December 24th, 2024 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) southwest of Quyno Barrow.
The group did not specify when the strike took place. Somalia's Ministry of Information released a statement saying that the strike was "well planned" and carried out in Coordination with international partners.
Before the statement released by U.S. Africa Command, Lower Shabelle Region Governor Mohamed Ibrahim Barre said that the operation was carried out two days ago and that Mire was traveling from Jilib to Kunyo Barrow when the strike took place about 8 kilometers (around 5 miles) outside the town.
Mire was designated a terrorist by the United States in 2022, stating that he is a senior al-Shabab leader and responsible for decision-making within the group, as well as head of the al-Shabab interior wing overseeing the activities of the group in Somalia.