WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Al-Shabaab seeks to overthrow the Somali government and impose a strict version of Islam in the east African country. The group has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks in Somalia and on border towns in Kenya.
"While we are still assessing the results of this operation, removing Dhoore from the battlefield would be a significant blow to Al-Shabaab's operational planning and ability to conduct attacks," Cook said in a Friday press release.
Dhoore is a member of al-Qaeda and played a direct role in the December 2014 attack on the Mogadishu International Airport, the Defense Department reported.
The Al-Shabaab leader is thought to have been plotting attacks targeting US citizens in Mogadishu prior to the US airstrike.
