On 2 September 2014 , al-Shabaab confirmed that Godane was travelling in one of two vehicles hit by a U.S. AGM-114 Hellfire missile strike the previous day . It was not immediately confirmed if Godane himself was among the six militants killed . The vehicles were heading toward the coastal town of Barawe , al-Shabaab 's main base . On 5 September 2014 , the Pentagon confirmed during the 2014 NATO summit in Wales that Godane had been killed in the attack . On 6 September 2014 , al-Shabaab officially confirmed Godane 's death and announced Ahmad Umar as his successor
2014 NATO summit
2014 Wales summit
Ahmed Abdi Godane