Somali war planes on Tuesday pounded al-Shabaab positions in the town of Jilib with close supervision by U.S. Africa Command aimed at bringing pressure to bear on the militants.
“We continue to place pressure on terrorist networks at the same time our Somali partners are making progress on the ground,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William Gayler, director of operations, U.S. Africa Command in a statement seen by APA on Wednesday.
“These strikes certainly disrupt the network and remove terrorists from causing further harm” Gayler added.
According to US assessment of the incident, the attack killed one insurgent as airstrikes near Jilib are thought to have disrupted al-Shabaab’s freedom to maneuver.
No civilians were injured or killed as a result of the airstrike, it suggested.
U.S. Africa Command said it will continue to work with its partners to transfer responsibility for long-term security in Somalia from the intervention force AMISOM to the government of Somalia.
It said backing the government of Somalia, the U.S. forces will use all effective and appropriate methods including partnered military counterterrorism operations to eliminate the threat from al-Shabaab.
WN/as/APA