US drone strike in Somalia targets Islamic group al-Shabaab

The United States conducted a suspected drone strike in southern Somalia targeting senior leaders of the Islamic militant group

al-Shabaab as the Pentagon strengthens its military presence in northern Africa by establishing a third drone base in the region to monitor militants.

Ahmed Abde Godane, the leader of the al-Qaeda-linked group behind last September's attack on the Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi, Kenya, that left 67 people dead, was the suspected target of US missiles as he departed a meeting of al-Shabaab leaders on Monday night 170km south of the Somali capital Mogadishu.

The Pentagon confirmed only that it had carried out an attack. Military officials were reported to be still trying to determine whether Godane (37), also known as Abu Zubayr, was killed in the attack in Somalia's Sablale forested region.

"We are assessing the results of the operation and will provide additional information as and when appropriate," Pentagon spokesman rear admiral John Kirby said.

Somali officials first learned of the attack when at least four loud explosions were heard in the area.

“I never heard such a huge and deafening blast as the result of the air strike,” said Abdukadir Mohamed Nur, the governor for Lower Shabelle.

He confirmed the US had carried out the strike targeting a gathering of senior al-Shabaab officials, including the leader.

“They were meeting to discuss about the current offensive in the region. There were casualties inflicted on the militants but we don’t have details so far,” he said.

The US has carried out attacks on al-Shabaab at least twice in the past year including an air strike last January. The militant group was designated a terrorist organisation by the US in March 2008.

Somali forces and the African Union Mission in Somalia have pushed back al-Shabaab militants over the past two years with increased intelligence and surveillance from the US through the use of unmanned aircraft from a US military base in the small neighbouring country of Djibouti.

The Islamic group lost control of most of Mogadishu in 2011, though has launched sporadic attacks from isolated rural locations.

Monday’s attack came as plans were made public to set up a third US military surveillance hub in north Africa with the creation of a new drone base in one of the most remote places on the planet in the middle of the Sahara.

The Washington Post reported that the government of Niger in west Africa had granted approval to the US to fly unarmed surveillance drones from the desert city of Agadez. The base will be the second in Niger allowing the US to monitor the growing number of Islamist fighters who have brought chaos to parts of north and west Africa.

US drones have been assisting France by sending reconnaissance drones from a base in Niger's capital, Niamey, over Mali, where about 1,200 French troops are attempting to end a revolt that began in 2012. The new base will allow drones to fly surveillance missions over southern Libya, complementing aircraft flying over the northern part of the country from a US base in Sicily, Italy.