MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – US military has conducted its first air strike in Somalia since Joe Biden came to office in January, after the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab increased attacks over the past weeks.
US drones carried out an air strike in the vicinity of the town of Qay’ad in central Somalia’s Mudug region where fighting between militants and government troops was underway on Tuesday, residents and officials said.
Somali army and regional paramilitary forces, with US air support, retook the town of Ba’adwayne in the region last week but militants continued attacks targeting military convoys and newly established bases.
In a statement, Somalia’s federal government confirmed the strike, saying “Al-Shabaab’s worst fears have come true” but it did not say how many fighters were killed.
The Al-Qaeda-aligned militant group has not immediately commented on the air raid, which comes months after the US pulled out nearly 700 of its troops from the war-torn nation, triggering fears by local authorities that the move would embolden Islamist fighters.
Contact us: info@somaliguardian.com
