Mogadishu, Somalia — Somali authorities said on Thursday that a precision air strike carried out last month in the town of Jilib, in the Middle Juba region, killed two senior commanders of the militant group Al-Shabaab, including its chief bomb maker who was wanted by the United States.
In a statement, the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said the operation was conducted on December 10 with support from international partners. Those killed were identified as Abdullahi Osman Mohamed, also known as Engineer Ismail, and Abdikarim Mohamed Hersi, known as Qoorleex.
Engineer Ismail was described as one of Al-Shabaab’s most senior and dangerous figures. He served as the mastermind behind the group’s explosives unit and oversaw its elite Amniyat fighters as well as its propaganda wing, Al-Kataaib.
The United States had placed a $5 million bounty on Engineer Ismail, whom Somali authorities accuse of playing a central role in organising major bomb attacks, including the deadly October 14 bombing in Mogadishu. He was also linked to numerous other assaults targeting civilians and public infrastructure.
The second militant killed, Qoorleex, was a senior propaganda and coordination official responsible for Al-Shabaab operations across the Juba region, according to NISA.
The intelligence agency said the targeted strike was carefully planned and successfully neutralised a major threat, dealing a significant blow to the Al-Qaida-linked group’s operational and media capabilities.
Al-Shabaab has waged an insurgency against Somalia’s internationally backed government for more than 15 years and continues to carry out frequent attacks despite sustained military pressure from Somali forces and their allies.
