Middle Juba (Kaab TV) – The militant group Al-Shabaab has issued a statement claiming that Sheikh Mohamed Saahal, also known as Abu Usaama, who was described as the head of the group’s drought committee, was killed in an airstrike in the Middle Juba region.
According to Al-Shabaab’s statement, the airstrike targeted Sheikh Abu Usaama while he was in an area of the region, where the group said he was engaged in activities related to providing aid and assistance to communities affected by drought.
The group further stated that Sheikh Abu Usaama had previously held several senior positions within Al-Shabaab, including serving for several years as the group’s regional governor for Lower Shabelle during a period when the group controlled parts of the region.
The statement was released only hours after Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) announced that an airstrike in the town of Saakow had targeted a senior Al-Shabaab official, though the agency did not officially disclose the individual’s name at the time.
As of now, there has been no official statement from the Federal Government of Somalia confirming or denying Al-Shabaab’s claim regarding the death of Sheikh Mohamed Saahal.