Al-Shabaab intelligence chief Karate killed in airstrike, Kenya army claims

Kenya Defence Forces said Thursday Al-Shabaab intelligence Chief Mahad Karate, was killed in airstrikes by Kenyan forces in February 8.

In a statement, the Kenyan army said Karate was killed alongside ten other Al-Shabaab commanders in southern Somalia.

“The Kenya Defence Forces, under AMISOM operations, would like to confirm that Mahad Mohammed Karate… and 10 other middle level commanders were killed in a major KDF strike,” in southern Somalia on February 8, the statement read.

Kenya described the killing of Karate, who is said to have been the mastermind of the Garissa attack which killed 148 people as a ‘major blow to the terrorist group.’

The report comes barely a month after Kenyan forces reported to have killed another senior Al-Shabaab commander Maalim Janow, the leader of the Abu Zubeir brigade, who led the attack on Kenyan forces in El-Adde last month.

In the statement, the Kenyan army said Karate was presiding over the passing out of an estimated 80 Amniyat (intelligence) recruits who had just completed training and were set for more attacks before they were hit by air strikes.

“It is confirmed that 42 recruits were also killed while many others sustained injuries,” the statement further reads.

The US government had placed a $5 million bounty on Karate who was the deputy of former Al-Shabaab leader Ahmed Godane. Godane was killed in a US airstrike in September 2014.

Another Al-Shabaab intelligence chief Abdishakur Tahlil was killed in a similar US airstrike in December 2014.

Karate was poised to succeed Godane in a power struggle following Godane’s death but Ahmad Umar, an inner circle member took charge in September 6, 2014.