MOGADISHU
The Al-Qaeda-linked militant movement Al-Shabaab late on Saturday confirmed the death of its commander Ahmed Abdi Godane along with another leader it did not name by a U.S. drone strike earlier this month.
It added in a statement that it had chosen Abii Ubeyda Ahmad Omar, a little known leader, to succeed Godane.
Al-Shabaab vowed in a statement that it would maintain what it called "jihad" or holy war against the "invading crusaders", in an apparent reference to African troops acting to root it out along with the Mogadishu government troops.
The movement also vowed to deal "painful" blows to the U.S. and its allies in retaliation for the killing of its commander.
On Friday, the United States said Godane was killed by a drone strike in the remote Somali Lower Shebelle region on Monday.
Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Godane's death signaled the destruction of a pillar of the war against his country.
Al-Shabaab has fought the Mogadishu government in several parts of the poverty-stricken country.
By Magdalene Mukami
www.aa.com.tr/en
