Mogadishu: Somalia’s Islamist group al-Shabab has selected Ahmad Umar as successor to its former leader Ahmed Abdi Godane who was killed in a US air strike.
The name was announced in an online statement by the militant group, vowing to take revenge for Godane’s death, BBC reported. The announcement came just minutes after al-Shabab confirmed Godane’s death.
The decision to appoint Godane was unanimous, an al-Shabab commander said.
Somalia’s authorities earlier put the country on alert for possible retaliatory attacks by al-Shabab after the US confirmed the death of Godane in air strikes south of Mogadishu Monday night.
Meanwhile, Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud Saturday called on Islamist militants to “embrace peace” following the death of Al Shabaab leader Godane.