MOGADISHU, Somalia— Ugandan forces operating under the African Union mission in Somalia have killed a senior Al-Shabaab commander in Lower Shabelle region.
The militant, Osman Hussein Bune Amiir, was ambushed and killed by Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) near Buulo Mareer on Sunday, officials confirmed Wednesday.
Amiir was widely believed to be Al-Shabab’s overall commander in Lower Shabelle and was responsible for several attacks in the volatile region.
Sector One Commander Brig. Gen. Joseph Ssemwanga labeled the elimination as a precise and effective operation against Al-Shabab.
Ssemwanga said soldiers recovered a pistol with three magazines, binoculars, a porch, two mobile phones, and other intelligence-related materials from the operation.
He said Ugandan troops under AUSSOM remain committed to defeating Al-Shabab and restoring peace across southern Somalia.
Despite air and ground operations, Al-Shabab continues to carry out deadly attacks on army bases in south and central Somalia.
For the last three months, the militant group seized several towns following pre-dawn attacks that began with suicide explosions, followed by gun battles.
Al-Shabab still holds large swaths of rural territory, including the Middle Jubba region, where its top leaders have been based since being driven out of Mogadishu in 2011.
