Somalia

Shebab rebels admit Nabhan killed in US operation

Article published on the 2009-09-16 Latest update 2009-09-16 10:29 TU

Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan
(Photo: AFP)

The Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab extremist group has confirmed that one of its commanders was killed in a US military raid on Monday.

The Shebab group on Tuesday "acknowledged the death of one of its commanders... and a group of its fighters in a communique issued on jihadist forums," SITE Intelligence Group said.

US officials said Monday that Shebab commander Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan - a Kenyan citizen wanted by the FBI over the 2002 anti-Israeli attacks in Mombassa - had been killed in the operation.

SITE reported that the Shebab posted a statement on the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) website indicating "that six helicopters initially participated in the attack and fired 'heavily and in a focused manner' on a car driven by the fighters."

"They said that two of the helicopters landed and then these fighters responded to them in an hour-long clash, but were overwhelmed by the four other helicopters," according to SITE.

GIMF claimed that “foreign forces” took two of the bodies, one of them believed to be that of Nabhan.

A top Shebab commander told AFP newswire that the group would "retaliate against this unprovoked attack."

"The United States is Islam's known enemy and we will never expect mercy from them, nor should they expect mercy from us," a member of the extremist group said.

"We are investigating the matter and if any Somali is found to have aided the attackers, then he or she shall face Allah's verdict," he said on condition of anonymity.

Peter Pham, a Somalia specialist at James Madison University, tells RFI that Nabhan played a “critical” role in promoting Al-Qaeda influence in Africa.

“He is a man who was wanted by the US for over a decade,” he says.

“He is also, because of his role in facilitating the reach of Al-Qaeda in East Africa and Somalia in particular, an increasingly dangerous figure.”