US missile strike kills reputed al-Qaida leader in Somalia

[OhioChick]

Source: AP

May 1, 9:23 PM EDT

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- U.S. missiles destroyed the house of the man identified by the U.S. military as the top al-Qaida commander in Somalia, killing him and 10 others Thursday in a pre-dawn attack that analysts warned could torpedo peace talks.

The killing of Aden Hashi Ayro comes amid escalating fighting and a spiraling humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa nation.

Islamic fighters have staged a series of attacks on towns in the months leading up to the U.N.-sponsored talks, scheduled to start May 10. The insurgents typically hold the towns for a few hours, free people from jails, then withdraw with captured weapons.

Somali government officials have said Ayro, who was believed to be in his 30s, trained in Afghanistan before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States and headed al-Qaida's cell in Somalia.



Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SOMALIA_AIRSTRIKE?SITE=OHCOL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

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Was this the #2 guy, again?

[mac2]

1. How many missles are destroying countries around the world

in my name? Somalia has gold and oil. It is to be part of the Middle East Union.