An Al-Shabaab deputy commander said to be behind the El-Adde attack was killed in a Kenyan military strike in Somalia.

Mahad Mohammed Karatey, alias Mahat Karate, who was also the head of the Alamnyat, Al-Shabaab’s intelligence wing, was killed together with 10 middle-level commanders and 42 recruits in the airstrike on the Nadaris camp on February 8.

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) spokesman Colonel David Obonyo on Thursday said Karatey had gone to the camp to preside over the graduation of an estimated 80 Alamnyat recruits, who had completed their training and were due for deployment to carry out more terrorist attacks.

“It is confirmed that 42 recruits were also killed while many others sustained injuries,” Col Obonyo said.

The military said it was believed Karatey played a major role in the recent attack on KDF troops in El-Adde, Somalia, by deploying suicide bombers.

On January 15, Al-Shabaab attacked the KDF camp in El-Adde, killing unknown number of soldiers.

The Alamnyat is Al-Shabaab’s intelligence wing that comprises suicide bombers, assassins, explosives experts and information gatherers.

The killing of the overall commander is said to be a major blow to the terrorist Group.