Senior al-Shabaab terrorist killed in central Somalia

Mogadishu,

Somali National Army (SNA) said Saturday that its forces killed a senior al-Shabaab terrorist in Middle Shabelle, central part of the country.

The SNA said Nuh Dhagool, who was leading the operation to extort the local populace to fund the group's activities in town, was killed Friday night.

"The terrorist was the head of extortion in the coastal area," the military said in a brief statement.

The group, which fights to topple the internationally-backed government, uses portions of southern and central Somalia to plot and direct terror attacks, steal humanitarian aid, extort the local populace to finance its operations, and shelter radical terrorists.

The extremists have recently increased their attacks against African Union and Somali forces especially in Mogadishu, the national capital, targeting their bases, hotels and other public places.