US Military Kills 13 Al-Shabaab Fighters in Somalia

Introduction

The US military announced Sunday that it believes it has killed 13 al-Shabaab fighters in southern Somalia in a “collective self-defense air strike” launched at the request of the Somali government.

The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said on Saturday it carried out an air strike against the Al-Shabaab group near the Sierra, about 45km northwest of Kismayo, at the request of the government, according to Reuters.

Preliminary Estimate

The statement also added that “a self-defence collective air strike was carried out in the early hours of 26 August in support of Somali National Army forces that were facing Al-Shabaab.”

It also added: “An initial assessment by the US Africa Command, conducted jointly with the Somali National Army, indicates that 13 al-Shabaab fighters were killed in the airstrike, with no casualties or civilian deaths.”

Campaign to Expel Al-Shabaab

Significantly, the Somali government and allied forces launched a year ago to expel al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab from parts of the center of the country, but the movement continues to carry out major attacks.

On Friday, the Somali army and allied groups took control of the city of El Bor, the main stronghold of al-Shabaab militants in the central region of Somalia, in a major military campaign achievement.

However, a number of military analysts and campaigners said the government’s promises to root out al-Shabaab were unrealistic.