(CNN) — Ahmed Godane, the leader of the Somali militant group Al-Shabaab, was killed in a U.S. military operation, the Pentagon said Friday.
“The U.S. military undertook operations against Godane on Sept. 1, which led to his death. Removing Godane from the battlefield is a major symbolic and operational loss to Al-Shabaab,” said Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby.
On Monday, U.S. military conducted a strike in the African country targeting Godane, who pledged allegiance to al Qaeda. He has headed the Al-Shabaab as it has terrorized East Africa, killing Somali officials, aid workers and others in a spate of suicide bombings. Godane allegedly was behind 2013’s deadly siege of a Nairobi, Kenya, shopping mall.
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U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, held for nearly five years by the Taliban after being captured in Afghanistan, has been released and is now in U.S. custody after years of on and off negotiations, U.S. officials said on Saturday
As part of Bergdahl's release, the United States is turning over five Taliban detainees at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the custody of Qatar, the officials said.
Bergdahl's freedom followed a renewed round of indirect U.S.-Taliban talks in recent months, with Qatar acting as intermediary, the officials said.
President Barack Obama announced the release, saying he had called Bergdahl's parents to let them know.
U.S. special operations forces took custody of Bergdahl in a non-violent exchange with Taliban members in eastern Afghanistan, the officials said, adding that he was believed to be in good condition. He was now undergoing a medical examination in Afghanistan.
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A second year student of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts was found murdered in Elpitiya at dawn on Saturday.
The twenty-two-year-old has been identified as K.A. Dimasha Gayaniki. Police discovered her body this morning, inside a building adjacent to the Elpitiya bus stop.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Dimasha, a resident of Thalgaswala in Niyagama, left home early Saturday morning with the intention of travelling to Colombo. After leaving home at 3:00 a.m. Dimasha arrived at the Elpitiya bus stop on a Colombo bound SLTB bus from Mapalagama.
The conductor of the bus noted that he knew the murdered student. Dimasha’s body was discovered not far from the Elpitiya bus stop.
While the police say that a love affair is also at the centre of this murder, Dimasha’s mother says that Dimasha and the youth in question had an argument when they spoke over the phone on Friday.
Police say that the youth too had arrived in Elpitiya at dawn on Saturday, adding that whatever had transpired had followed his arrival. Police noted that Dimasha had six wounds on her body.
The Judicial Medical Officer in Elpitiya Susantha Lellawala, arrived at the location on Saturday and carried out an investigation of the crime scene. The magisterial inquest was conducted by the Acting Magistrate of Elpitiya, Janaka Ruwanpura.
The police arrived at the crime scene this afternoon with the suspect in tow.
The police identified the suspect as a 24 year old soldier, attached to the Thanthirimale Army Camp.
A communique issued by Army Headquarters notes that the Army Commander has instructed senior officers to provide all assistance to the police to ensure the success of investigations.
The communique notes that the Army Commander had reiterated that individuals involved in such crimes would face disciplinary action regardless of their status, adding that if the suspect is found guilty by a civil court then steps will be taken to bring him before a court martial and take action to remove him from the army.
Police Media Spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana says that the suspect is being interrogated. Dimasha’s body was taken to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital on Saturday afternoon.
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