Somalia's al-Shabab names new leader

[Che -Guevara]

Armed group appoints Ahmed Omar as successor to Ahmed Abdi Godane who was killed in US strikes last Tuesday.

 

Al-Shabab, the Somali armed group, has named Sheikh Ahmad Umar, also known as Abu Ubaidah, as successor to Ahmed Abdi Godane who was killed in US airstrikes last Tuesday.

 

The armed group on Saturday pledged to take revenge for the death of one its founding leaders.

 

"Avenging the death of our scholars and leaders is a binding obligation on our shoulders that we will never relinquish nor forget no matter how long it takes," the group said in a statement sent to Al Jazeera.

 

Omar, the group's third leader, takes over from Godane, who had succeeded top commander Ismail Arale. Arale was sent to Guantanamo Bay in 2007.

 

The armed group also confirmed the death of two other unnamed officials.

 

The US confirmed on Friday that Godane was killed in September 1 airstrike which happened outside the port city of Barawe - al-Shabab's last major stronghold.

 

The attack on Tuesday targeted vehicles and encampment near Barawe, the armed group's base of operations. The US had said the targets were senior commanders of al-Shabab.

 

In 2012 the US put a bounty of $7m for information leading to the capture or killing of Godane.

 

Also on Friday, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud issued a statement calling for fighters to leave the rebel group. He offered a 45-day amnesty to fighters who renounced the group.

 

Godane, also known as Abu Zubeyr, rose to the top of the al-Qaeda-linked group in 2008 following the death of his predecessor Aden Hashi Ayro in a US airstrike in the southern town of Dhusamareeb.

 

Under his stewardship the rebel group pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda in 2009 and started focusing their attacks outside Somalia.

 

Deadly attacks

 

Last year, the group's fighters stormed a shopping mall in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, killing at least 67 people.

 

In 2010, al-Shabab carried out an explosion in Kampala that left 78 football fans dead during the world cup. The attack was the first by the group outside Somalia.

 

On Saturday, Somalia's government warned of a wave of retaliatory attacks by the group following Godane’s death.

 

"Security agencies have obtained information indicating that al-Shabab is now planning to carry out desperate attacks against medical facilities, education centres and other government facilities," Somalia's National Security Minister, Kalif Ahmed Ereg, told reporters in the capital Mogadishu.

 

"The security forces are ready to counter their attacks and we call on people to help the security forces in standing against violent acts," he said.

 

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/09/somalia-al-shabab-names-new-leader-20149617410271106.html

[Tillamook]

Niggah who?

[Che -Guevara]

No idea.

[Homunculus]

The guy has a death wish. I really don't get this "abu" stuff and the adoption of Arabic naming traditions, It's foreign and immediately brands the group as subservient to bigger terrorist groups and astroturfed (sponsored by Qatar and KSA). Anyway, If he continue on the same path as the previous idiot then he will keep losing territory and killing his lieutenants.

[CidanSultan]

Intel on the new leader. Alshabab is sayin he was the leader of the muskar ras kamponi division and that he was also the Al Shabab governer of bay an bakool.

 

If we examine this we can argue that ras kamponi amongst the most Feared divisions particularly in the war furthermore bay and bakool region when under Alshabab was the primary support base for the movement and still enjoys a lot of support around the area.

 

Godane also conducted various purges killing his opponents and usually if people left Alshabab they would complain of Godane. With Godane out of the picture anything can happen.

 

Source: Charles lister security and intelligence analyst

[Holac]

Godane was worse than Cayroow who was also killed by the Americans. This new person could be 10X worse than Godane. But one thing is for sure, Alshabab lost a larger than life figure. it is hard to replace ruthless murderer Godane if you are Al-Qeida. The new appointee may be open to negotiations with the Government. Godane did not see that as an option.

[Che -Guevara]

Apparently, the new guy is Godane's cousin.

[Tillamook]

Buunbuunis.com

[Che -Guevara]

^Not a cousin in the SOL sense, an actual maternal cousin from Somaligalbeed,