MOGADISHU: US forces have carried out air strikes against senior members of Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab rebels, with casualties reported but uncertainty hanging over the fate of the group's leader, officials said Tuesday.
The Pentagon confirmed an "operation" was carried out on Monday against the hardline militia, and that it was "assessing the results".
"The Americans carried out a major air strike targeting a gathering by senior Al-Shebab officials, including their leader Abu-Zubayr," said Abdukadir Mohamed Nur, governor for southern Somalia's Lower Shabelle region.
Abu-Zubayr is the often-used name for Shebab supreme commander Ahmed Abdi Godane, listed by the US State Department as one of the world's eight top terror fugitives.
If confirmed, Godane's death would be a major blow for the Shebab although Somali officials said late Tuesday they were still trying to establish who was killed.
"The Shebab suffered big casualties during the attack. We can't give further details until we get additional information on the exact number of casualties, but what I know is that the target was the leadership," government spokesman Ridwan Haji Abdiweli told reporters.
Washington has carried out a series of drone missile strikes in the past, including attacks reportedly targeting Godane.
"We are assessing the results of the operation," Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said in a statement.
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