To support the federal government of Somalia’s continued efforts to degrade the group, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike near a militant encampment located in the vicinity of Shebeeley, Hiran Region last Wednesday.
This precision airstrike is part of a larger effort to support the Somali National Army (SNA) as it increases pressure on al-Shabaab and its recruiting efforts in the region.
“We are partnered with the Federal Government of Somalia, and other international partners, to protect the people of Somalia,” Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Gregg Olson, U.S. Africa Command director of operations was quoted in a statement from Washington on Friday.
“Precision strikes are part of our strategy. Strikes continue to help our partners make progress in their fight against the transnational terrorists who oppose peace in Somalia and in the region” he said.
The US said Somali troops and their partners will continue to effectively target terrorist training camps and assessed safe havens in order to deny al-Shabaab the ability to build their capacity to launch attacks in Somalia.
Washington said, the group uses portions of southern and central Somalia to plot and direct terror attacks, steal humanitarian aid, extort the local populace to fund its operations, and shelter radical terrorists.
U.S. Africa Command currently assesses this latest airstrike killed twenty-four militants.
At this time, it was assessed no civilians were injured or killed in this airstrike.
U.S. Africa Command will continue to work with its partners to transfer the responsibility for long-term security in Somalia from AMISOM to the government of Somalia and its member states, and U.S. forces will use all effective and appropriate methods to protect the Somali people, including partnered military counter-terror operations, it added.