Somalia's al Shabaab confirm leader killed by US strike, name new head
MOGADISHU - The Somali Islamist militant group al Shabaab confirmed on Saturday that its leader Ahmed Godane had been killed in a US air strike this week and named a new leader, promising "great distress" to its enemies.
US forces struck Godane's encampment in south-central Somalia with Hellfire missiles and laser-guided munitions on Monday, but the Pentagon did not confirm his death until Friday.
In a statement, al Shabaab, affiliated to al Qaeda, named its new leader as Sheikh Ahmad Umar Abu Ubaidah, and warned its enemies to "expect only that which will cause you great distress".
