The head of an al-Qaeda-linked group in Somalia has been killed in an air strike, according to reports.

The pre-dawn attack reportedly targeted the house of Aden Hashi Ayrow – head of the Islamist al-Shabab group – in the central town of Dusamareb.

An unknown number of other militants were also killed, reports say.

Al-Shabab – considered a terrorist organisation by the US – is the military wing of the Somali sharia courts movement ousted in 2006.

“It is true that infidel planes bombed Dusamareb,” Mukhtar Robow Adumansur, an al-Shabab commander, told Reuters news agency.

“Two of our important people, including Aden Hashi Ayrow, were killed in the incident.”

Residents said four planes fired two missiles at around 0200 local time (2300GMT Wednesday), totally destroying the house.

Al-Shabab has been at the forefront of a guerrilla insurgency against the government and its Ethiopian allies since early 2007.

The US has launched several air strikes against suspected extremist targets in Somalia in recent months.