High level al-Shabab commander killed by airstrike in Somalia: US

The US military has confirmed that a high-level al-Shabab commander has been killed in Somalia with an air strike over the weekend.

The strike which took place on July 30 killed the top al-Shabab's commander Ali Mohamed Hussein, as per US Africa Command statement. Hussein was also known as Ali Jabal.

The statement says he "was responsible for leading al-Shabab forces operating in the Mogadishu and Banadiir regions in planning and executing attacks against the capital of Mogadishu."

The  statement says the airstrike occurred near Tortoroow, an al-Shabab stronghold in Lower Shabelle region in southern Somalia.

President Donald Trump earlier this year approved expanded military operations against al-Shabab, including more aggressive airstrikes and considering parts of southern Somalia areas of active hostilities.

The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab is the deadliest Islamic extremist group in Africa.