Drone strike hits leaders of Somalia al Qaeda allies

Telegraph:

The strike last week is believed to have wounded the two leading militants and came amid increasing concern among US officials about growing ties between Shabaab and the global terror network, the Post said.

“They (Shebab fighters) have become somewhat emboldened of late and, as a result, we have become more focused on inhibiting their activities,” it quoted an official as saying. “They were planning operations outside of Somalia.”

The US military could not immediately be reached for comment.

The official quoted by the Post said the two commanders had “direct ties” to Anwar al-Awlaqi, a charismatic American-born preacher believed to be hiding in his family’s native Yemen.

The US military has carried out a number of attacks in recent years against top al-Qaeda militants believed to be hiding in Somalia, but last week’s incident appeared to be the first drone strike, the Post said.

Last Thursday residents reported huge explosions near Kismayo, a southern port town controlled by Shabaab, followed by the sound of aircraft.

A Shabaab official in the area said his men had reported an aerial bombing raid on a Shabaab base that wounded several fighters, including foreigners, and that he believed it was carried out by US aircraft.

...

Al Qaeda leadership and that of its allies continues to take hits in decapitation strikes. The attrition is starting to have an effect on their ability to operate their command and control apparatus. It is also restricting their movement.