Local reports – including by the former head of Somalia’s national intelligence service – said that a senior al Shabaab figure was killed in Salagle.

According to Mareeg, “al-Shabaab’s chief of security, Sheikh Jafar Ali Mohamud, and a few other members were killed” in an event at Salagle. Other actions were reported at nearby Sakow and Jilib.

In a Facebook post published on August 6th, Brigadier General Abdalla Abdallla, the retired former head of Somalia’s national intelligence service, also reported that his sources had flagged the death of Jafar.

Mareeg alleged that the action was conducted by either US or French aircraft.

In what may be a linked or separate event, on August 25th Garowe reported: “Somali army radio, citing unnamed military officials reported Mohamed Dubow and son of Al-Shabab’s Intelligence head, Omar Mahad Karate were killed in an operation in Sablale town in Lower Shabelle region.”

Asked whether it had been responsible for this event, in February 2020 a senior AFRICOM official told Airwars that this was not the case. However, this may not preclude actions by the CIA which conducts its own undeclared strikes in Somalia.

The incident occured during the night.