US, Somalia carry out airstrikes on al-Shabaab

By Magdalene Mukami

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) – The U.S. and Somalia carried out three airstrikes targeting the al-Shabaab militant group, killing four members, U.S. Africa Command said Sunday.

In a statement, it said the military exercise focused on al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabaab militants in two locations: Qunyo Barrow and Caliyoow Barrow.

It said an initial assessment concluded that two airstrikes killed two terrorists and destroyed two vehicles in Qunyo Barrow and one airstrike killed two terrorists in Caliyoow Barrow.

It noted that a current assessment showed that no civilians were injured or killed as a result of the airstrikes, emphasizing that “these precision airstrikes targeted al-Shabaab militants responsible for terrorist acts against innocent Somali citizens and coordinating with al-Qaeda.”

“The U.S. and the Federal Government of Somalia will continue to increase pressure on the terrorist organization in order to deny them the ability to plot terrorist attacks,” it added.

The move follows a suicide attack Saturday in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, in which al-Shabaab militants killed almost 80 people, including two Turkish nationals.

Al-Shabaab has wreaked havoc in East Africa, killing thousands. In 2017, Al-Shabaab militants killed more than 580 people in twin truck bombings in Mogadishu.