US Africa Command yet to confirm airstrike, which would be 2nd in less than a week in Somalia
MOGADISHU, Somalia
A US airstrike in central Somalia has killed 13 al-Shabaab terrorists, Somali officials and state media said on Sunday.
The airstrike destroyed terrorist hideouts in the Hiran region, military officials told Anadolu Agency, requesting anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media.
The operation was conducted in coordination with the Somali military and killed 13 terrorists, Somali National Television reported.
The US military has yet to confirm the airstrike, which would be its second in less than a week in Somalia.
Earlier this week, US Africa Command said it carried out “three airstrikes against al-Shabaab terrorists who attacked Somali National Army Forces near Beledweyne,” the capital of Hiran.
A statement said four terrorists were killed in the Aug. 9 strikes.
Somalia has been grappling with increasing insecurity for years, with al-Shabaab being one of the main threats in the Horn of Africa country.
Since at least 2007, al-Shabaab has waged a deadly campaign against the Somali government and international forces that has claimed thousands of lives.
The United Nations has also warned of growing instability in the country, with its periodic reports on Somalia this year detailing violent attacks by al-Shabaab and pro-Daesh/ISIS groups.
There were at least 1,518 civilian casualties – 651 killed and 867 injured – in terrorist attacks in Somalia in 2018, followed by 1,459 – 591 killed and 868 injured – in 2019, according to UN in Somalia.
