The US military has carried out an air strike against an al-Shebab militant in Somalia and is checking whether the senior figure was killed in the operation, the Pentagon said today.
US officials declined to comment on reports from Kenya that the mission targeted Adan Garaar, who is alleged to have helped orchestrate the 2013 attack on the Westgate mall in Nairobi, which left 67 people dead.
But Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steven Warren said the strike, which did not involve any US troops on the ground, took place yesterday and was focused on "a high-value target."
"This operation was conducted against the al-Shebab network," Warren said.
"We are currently assessing the results of this operation and will provide additional information as and when appropriate."
An armed drone carried out the attack, a US defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.
The drone attack hit a vehicle near the town of Baidoa, west of Mogadishu, officials said.
The Pentagon had earlier incorrectly described the location of the attack as south of Mogadishu.
Baidoa, about 220 kilometers (140 miles) northwest of the capital Mogadishu, was captured by Ethiopian forces in February 2012, ending three years of Shebab rule and dealing the group a major blow.
Shebab has suffered a string of setbacks, losing territory in battles with regional forces and top leaders to drone missile strikes.
