Abdullahi Nadir, a co-founder and top al-Shabab member, was reportedly killed on Saturday in the Middle Jubba region of southern Somalia, according to the Somali authorities.
The director of al-religious Shabab’s indoctrination unit, Nadir, was the target of a $3 million (£2.7 million) US bounty, according to the Somali communications ministry.
It added that al-Shabab considered Nadir a potential successor to its current leader, Ahmed Omar Diriye, aka Abu Ubaidah, who has long been rumoured to be “in poor health”.
Abdullahi Nadir, a top leader of #Alshabab terrorists, wanted by Somali government for long time has been killed in operation conducted by Somali National Army and international security partners in Haramka village in Middle Jubba region, on 01-10-2022.#Somalia https://t.co/yJsfQL6Wts
— Ministry of Information, Culture & Tourism (@MOISOMALIA) October 2, 2022
Private media reported that Nadir was killed in a drone strike.
The information ministry said that Somali security forces and international partners killed Nadir in an operation, but did not mention a drone strike.
The US Africa Command, which frequently targets top al-Shabab militants and positions, has not yet commented on the development.