Senior Al-Shabaab commander detained near Kenya-Somalia border

Somali security agencies on Saturday confirmed that a senior Al-Shabaab commander was detained in Elwak near Kenya-Somalia border.

Officials said Zakariya Ismail Hersi was arrested after tip off from the members of public on Saturday.

Hersi who is on a U.S. wanted list is believed to be a close aid of former Al-Shabaab leader Ahmed Abdi Godane who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in September this year.

In June 2012, the U.S. put over 3 million U.S. dollars reward for the capture of Hersi, describing him as an important figure inside the ranks of the Al Qaida-linked Somali militant group.

His detention came just one week after United Nations Security Council committee dealing with Somalia on Dec. 19 removed former senior Al-Shabaab leader Sheikh Mohamed Said Atom from its sanctions list, six months after he defected from the group.

Security analysts said his arrest is a big blow to the group's campaign to overthrow internationally-backed federal government of Somalia.

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