MOGADISHU, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) confirmed Friday its troops killed a senior al-Shabab commander in an ambush in southern Somalia.
The AU mission said the unnamed commander who was the terrorist group's chief finance controller and head of Zakat tax collection in Lower Shabelle region was killed on Monday after the AU troops ambushed the venue of an al-Shabab meeting in Bariire.
"AMISOM will continue working with the federal and state governments to ensure al-Shabab is defeated and lasting peace and security is restored in Somalia," said the AU mission.
According to a UN Monitoring report, the militant group always pays for weapons and fighters with revenue it earns from taxing traders and from the export of charcoal, trade that was banned by the UN Security Council Resolution which was adopted in 2012.
The AU mission said the Monday's incident came after another seven al-Shabab fighters were killed on Sunday after a "botched" probe attack by al-Shabab on the mission's forward operating base.
"In two separate incidents in Lower Shabelle region, AMISOM troops have killed more than eight al-Shabab fighters, including a top commander," said the mission.
The AU forces, in cooperation with Somalia government, have been conducting a series of operations against al-Shabab in Somalia to degrade the al-Qaida affiliate's ability to recruit, train and plot external terror attacks throughout the region.
