Kenya's Garissa university attack mastermind killed in Somalia

A senior Al-Shabaab commander, who was behind the Garissa University attack in April last year, was killed during airstrikes in southern Somalia on Tuesday night, Kenyan police said on Wednesday.

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet said that Mohamed Kuno, alias Dulyadayn or Sheikh Mahamad, was killed by special security forces during operations conducted in Farwamo and Bulo-Gadud villages, about 30 km north of Kismayo, Xinhua reported.

"We have reports that he was killed in an airstrike by special security forces. He was behind the Garissa university attack," Boinnet said.

Security officials said the operation, which also killed two other militants, was conducted by the Somalian and foreign forces though information is scanty.

Kuno is believed to have been behind the dreadful Garissa university attack which left over 148 people, mainly students, dead.

Kuno, who hailed from Garissa in northern Kenya, was Al-Shabaab's Jabha leader for Juba region in Somalia. He was, prior to his death, incharge of external operations against Kenya.

The police said Kuno was believed to be very religious and had been a Madarasa teacher for several years. He worked for Al-Haramain Foundation between 1993 and 1995 before the institution was closed. At the time he was known as Sheikh Mahamad.

He later became a teacher and principal at Madarasa Najah in Garissa from 1997-2000 where his extremist tendencies became more manifested.

--IANS

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