An airstrike targeting al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab in Somalia killed four fighters on February 21, the U.S. military’s Africa Command said.
“In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants on Feb. 21, in the vicinity of Jamaame, Somalia, killing four (4) terrorists.,” Africom said in a Thursday, February 22 statement.
The command said no civilians were killed in the strike.
#UPDATE: At least five member of #Alshabaab militants were killed on last night in an airstrike conduced by unknown drone in Bangeeni, some 8km away from Jamame in lower Jubba region. It was on Feb 19 when U.S. forces conducted an airstrike in the vicinity of Jilib, killing 3 AS.
— Somalia Live Update (@HassanIstiila) February 22, 2018
The strike is the latest in an increasing number of U.S. airstrikes against al-Shabaab and Abnaa ul-Calipha, Islamic State’s affiliate in Somalia.
In 2018, Africom carried out strikes on:
- February 19: A strike killed four al-Shabaab fighters near Jilib
- January 18: Against al-Shabaab, killing four fighters approximately 50 kilometers northwest of Kismayo
- January 3: Killing two al-Shabaab fighters and destroying a car bomb near Mogadishu
In 2017:
- December 27: An airstrike against al-Shabaab west of Mogadishu destroyed a car bomband killed four people.
- December 24: An airstrike targeting al-Shabaab in southern Somalia killed 13 people
- December 15: An airstrike 30 miles northwest of Kismayo killed eight people
- December 12: A U.S. airstrike targeted an al-Shabaab car bomb near Mubarak, 65 kilometers (40 miles) from Mogadishu
- November 27: Africom targeted Abnaa ul-Calipha in northeastern Somalia
- November 21: The command said an airstrike killed more than 100 al-Shabaab militants 125 miles northwest of Mogadishu
- November 15: Africom said a drone strike about 60 miles north Mogadishu killed “several” al-Shabaab militants
- November 11: Africom said it struck al-Shabaab in the Bay region, about 100 miles west of Mogadishu
