Pentagon confirms fatal strike on al-Shabab intel chief
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Pentagon is confirming that a U.S. airstrike killed the intelligence chief of the al-Shabab extremist group in Somalia.
In a brief statement Wednesday, the Pentagon said the strike killed Tahlil Abdishakur on Monday. It said U.S. drone aircraft fired several Hellfire missiles to hit a vehicle carrying the al-Shabab intelligence chief.
The Somali government had announced the death on Tuesday but the Pentagon did not immediately confirm it.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Pentagon said his death will "significantly impact" the group's ability to conduct attacks against the Somali government and its people, as well as U.S. allies in the region.
Al-Shabab is an ultra-conservative Islamic militant group that is linked to the al-Qaida terrorist network and wants to run Somalia by its strict interpretation of Shariah law.