...... al-Qaeda's tentacle in East Africa...commanders just near the border with Somalia, in the latest crackdown which comes moments after the snuffies crossed over to the Horn of Africa nation.
In a statement, the Æthiopian authorities said the army killed three al-Shabaab big shots in South Eastern part of the country, during an offensive which was waged against the snuffies have tried to cross over to the Æthiopian side of the border.
The Æthiopian forces and troops from the Somali region killed Fu'ad Mohammed alias Sonqole and two other leaders who have been on the US radar for a long time. Earlier this week, it was reported that Sanqole was around Aato town where he was radicalizing locals.
Also reportedly killed in the crackdown by Æthiopian troops were Abdulaziz Abu Musa [Al-Shabaab front man], and Ubeda Nur Isse who is said to be head of al-Shabaab forces along the Æthiopian border. The snuffies had tried to attack people at Aato town on Friday morning.
Records in the State Department indicate that Sanqole had a $5 million bounty on his head with the US accusing him of recruiting al-Shabaab bully boys. The holy man is said to be having Swedish citizenship and has been successfully avoiding arrest.
Major General Tesfaye Ayalew, Head of the deployment in the Æthiopian Defense Force and coordinator of the Security Command Post, has confirmed to Æthiopian State media, Æthiopian News Agency, that the three al-Shabaab leaders are killed near the Æthiopian border.
Last week, al-Shabaab snuffies suffered multiple losses at Aato and Yeed towns along the border of Somalia and Æthiopia. Further reports indicate that al-Shabaab was killed in numbers within Æthiopia, with authorities estimating the number at over 100 bully boys.
It is unclear if there were casualties from the Æthiopian forces. The report on the death of Sanqole could not be independently verified by Garowe Online but there were confrontations along the border, with the latest shootout reported on Saturday morning.
Mustafa Mohammed, president of the Somali regional State of Æthiopia, on Thursday, warned that al-Shabaab might attempt to launch a new attack despite devastating defeat in the same week. al-Shabaab controls huge swathes of rural central and southern Somalia.
Ethiopian forces reportedly killed three key Al-Shabab leaders in the latest operation in the South Eastern Part of the country bordering Somalia region.
A joint Ethiopian Defense Force and Somali region special forces operation in Aato area, where Al-Shabab opened attack on Friday, after its fighters were wiped out in the in two villages earlier in the week, eliminated Fu’ad Mohamed (also known as Sanqole), who is said to be chief of coordination of Al-Shabab, AbdulAziz Abu Musa (Al-Shabaab spokesman), and Ubeda Nur Isse who is said to be head of Al-Shabaab forces along the Ethiopian border.