Drones hit extremists in Somalia
U.S. carries out three strikes against IS, al-shabab targets
MOGADISHU, Somalia — U.S. forces say they carried out three drone strikes within 24 hours in Somalia, stepping up their campaign against al-shabab and the Islamic State group.
The strikes by unmanned drones killed several extremist fighters, a spokeswoman for the U.S. military command in Africa told The Associated Press Sunday. With these three attacks, the U.S. has carried out 26 attacks in Somalia against extremist targets in 2017, she said.
The latest strikes were carried out in coordination with Somalia’s government, she said.
The first strike killed one fighter for the extremists group al-shabab, said a U.S. Africa command statement. The strike occurred near Gaduud, about 250 miles southwest of the capital, Mogadishu.
The strike came after al-shabab attacked a convoy of U.S. and Somali forces, the statement said.
“We assess no civilians were anywhere near the site,” said the spokeswoman. “We take all measures during the targeting process to painstakingly ensure that civilian casualties and collateral damages are avoided and that we comply with the principles of the Law of Armed Conflict.”
The second strike occurred against al-shabaab in the Lower Shabelle region about 40 miles west of Mogadishu.
Al-shabab has been blamed for the massive truck bombing in Mogadishu last month that killed more than 350 people.
The third strike was against IS in Somalia’s northern Puntland area, the spokeswoman said. This is the second U.S. strike against IS in Somalia. The group has emerged in Somalia over the past two years, and many of its fighters have defected from al-shabab.
“U.S. forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect Americans and to disable terrorist threats,” said the spokeswoman. The U.S. forces are working with Somalia’s security forces and the 22,000-strong African Union force of soldiers from neighboring countries, and they are “targeting terrorists, their training camps and safe havens throughout Somalia, the region and around the world,” she said.
The Trump administration earlier this year approved expanded military operations against extremists in this Horn of Africa nation.
Somalia’s president has vowed a “state of war” against the extremists, but concern is growing that, when the African Union force leaves Somalia, the national army will not be able to cope. The AU this week announced the beginning of its withdrawal from the nation, saying it will cut 1,000 troops by the end of the year. The AU pullout is set to be complete by the end of 2020.