US airstrike kills 5 al-Shabaab terrorists in Somalia

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - The US forces have conducted the first airstrike against the al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group al-Shabaab in Somalia since US President Joe Biden reauthorized sending US troops to Somalia, killing five al-Shabaab terrorists on Friday.

A statement by the Somali Information Ministry said the airstrike was conducted in coordination with the federal government of Somalia.

"US forces conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab terrorists after they attacked partner forces in a remote location near Beer xaani, Somalia" on Friday, the statement said.

"Five al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in action and no civilians were injured or killed, given the remote nature of where the engagement occurred," it added.

The ministry said the government and the US "remain committed to fighting al-Shabaab to prevent the deaths of innocent civilians."

"Violent extremist organizations like al-Shabaab present long-term threats to Somalia."

The airstrike came hours after the Somali military announced that it had killed at least 10 al-Shabaab terrorists in an operation outside the port city of Kismayo, the administrative capital of southern Jubaland state.

Somalia's newly elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud last month welcomed the US decision to redeploy troops to the Horn of Africa country.

Former US President Donald Trump pulled around 700 American troops out from the east African country during the final month of his presidency.

On May 16, US President Biden reauthorized the deployment of forces to Somalia.

Somalia has been in a state of insecurity since the emergence of al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group, that has been fighting against the government and African Union peacekeepers in the country.