Somalia: Mogadishu deadliest attack ‘mastermind’ killed

[Deeq A.]

MOGADISHU (Caasimada Online)—Somali army says its forces killed an al-Shabaab man linked to one of the country’s deadliest ever attacks last Oct. 2017 in Mogadishu, killing 500 people.

The 27^th brigade chief, Salah Mumin Mouse says its army forces launched joint military offensive against al Qaeda linked al-Shabaab fighters in south and central Somalia.

Mouse says the military forces killed a senior al-Shabaab commander, whom he says was involved in one of the country’s deadliest ever attacks left 500 people dead.

He says a Pakistan bomb expert, fighting alongside al-Shabaab group was also killed during the military operation carried out in south and central regions of Somalia.

“We have also re-captured about 11 key areas from al Qaeda linked al-Shabaab. These operations will continue until the militants are eradicated”, he said.

There was no immediate comment from Al Shabaab over the claims.

Oct 14, 2018, Hundreds of Somalis gathered at a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the attack in which a truck packed with explosives blew up at Zoobe intersection in Mogadishu

A year on, the Al-Qaeda linked group which still governs large swaths of territory, has never claimed responsibility, which observers attribute to the public outrage caused by the attack.

The Al-Qaeda linked Shabaab was pushed out of the Somali capital in 2011 — and subsequently other towns and cities — by soldiers from the African Union Mission in Somalia.

Caasimada Online

Mogadishu News Desk

Caasimada@live.com