Somali extremists name new leader

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s Islamic extremist rebels, al-Shabab, named a new leader Saturday after confirming the killing of their previous leader by a U.S. airstrike, a commander of the group said.

The Somali militants unanimously selected Ahmad Umar, also known as Abu Ubaidah, at a meeting in an undisclosed location in Somalia, said rebel commander Abu Mohammed.

Al-Shabab also stated that it remains aligned with al-Qaida, according to the Site Intelligence Group, which monitors statements by Islamic militant groups.

There had been speculation by analyists that al-Shabab would be shaken by a power struggle over the selection of a new leader and that perhaps the Somali rebels would change their alliance and become allied to the Islamic State group operating in Syria and Iraq.

The Somali group had to appoint a new leader following the death of Ahmed Abdi Godane, who was killed with two other officials by a U.S. airstrike Monday. The attack took place 105 miles south of Mogadishu, where al-Shabab trains its fighters.

“Avenging the death of our scholars and leaders is a binding obligation on our shoulders that we will never relinquish nor forget no matter how long it takes,” said the al-Shabab statement, according to SITE.

President Barack Obama confirmed Friday that Godane was killed by the U.S. airstrike. The U.S. State Department declared al-Shabab a terrorist organization in February 2008.