The US military once again targeted Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in Somalia and East Africa, in an airstrike in the central Somali province of Mudug on Nov. 27. The US has now launched six strikes in Mudug since Nov. 19, killing at least 55 Shabaab fighters.
US Africa Command (AFRICOM) assessed that three Shabaab fighters were killed in this latest strike “in the vicinity of Quy Cad [Qeycad] near Debatscile.” No civilians were reportedly killed or wounded.
The airstrikes are designed to “foil terrorist plans, kill al-Shabaab terrorists and reduce the enemy’s freedom of maneuver,” AFRICOM said in its press release. “Strikes keep pressure on the al-Shabaab network and help provide Somali forces time and space to develop their independent capability to protect the people of Somalia.”
As noted in last week’s update on the airstrikes, the US military has clearly identified a Shabaab threat in Mudug province and has taken action to degrade its network there.
The US has conducted 36 strikes against Shabaab so far in 2018, already eclipsing last year’s total of 31.
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2 Comments
That is 1p from each sortie. At what cost?
Is this a spike before reported downsizing of AFRICOM? Mattis is keen on exiting Afghanistan, but leaves a beehive for terrs who will utilize the Sahel from West to East.