In an airstrike in Somalia, the US claims to have killed 27 Al-Shabaab militants

Last updated on September 23rd, 2022 at 09:36 am

The United States military announced on Wednesday that it had killed 27 members of the Al-Shabaab militant group in an air strike in the central Hiran region of Somalia. This is the same region where the Somali government and its allies have begun an offensive against the insurgents over the past month.

For a number of years, the United States military has been conducting air attacks in Somalia against al Shabaab, which is a franchise of al Qaeda. According to the website of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), the strike that took place on Sunday was the sixth one documented in 2022.

Residents of the Hiran region say that Al-Shabaab’s burning of homes, damage to wells, and killing of civilians, along with demands for taxes in the middle of the worst drought in forty years, have led locals to form paramilitary groups to fight against the government.

Related Posts

According to a statement released by AFRICOM, the militants were killed while attacking federal forces near Buulobarde, a town located approximately 125 miles (200 kilometers) north of the capital city of Mogadishu. The goal of the militants was to get rid of the central government, which was backed by the West, and replace it with a strict version of Islamic law. AFRICOM said that the defensive attacks allowed the Somali National Army and the forces of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to regain the lead and keep fighting Al-Shabaab in the Hiraan region of central Somalia.

This operation is the largest combined offensive operation between ATMIS and Somalia that has taken place in the last five years. Requests for comment from the media were ignored by both a spokeswoman for ATMIS and officials from the Somali government. According to a local elder, Al-Shabaab has lost control of ten villages in recent weeks as a result of the operation. ATMIS has not confirmed in public that it was involved in the operation.

Rights groups in the past have leveled accusations against the United States of conducting its operations in Somalia in a covert manner, which could potentially undermine accountability for incidents involving the deaths of civilians. Since 1991, when clan-based warlords toppled a government and then turned on one another, Somalia has been mired in a state of constant civil war.

Dexter

Recent Posts

Laura Wolvaardt Calls for More Women’s Test Matches

South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt wants cricket authorities to arrange more Test matches for women because Test cricket represents the…

March 15, 2025

Trump Administration Expels South African Ambassador Over Critical Comments

The United States issued Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool a one-way travel ticket from South Africa to show decreasing trust between the…

March 15, 2025

South African Coffee Giant Vida e Caffè Marks 300th Store Milestone

Vida e Caffè achieved a major milestone when they opened their 300th South African outlet in Secunda Mpumalanga making it…

March 14, 2025

Iran Announces New Shipping Line to West Africa Over Economic Push

The Trade Promotion Organization of Iran revealed its plan to launch a special shipping line to West Africa through its…

March 14, 2025

Africa’s Rare Earth Sector Set to Transform Global Supply Chain by 2030

Expansion in the global rare earth industry makes Africa stand out by predicting this region will reach 10% market supply…

March 13, 2025

Mining Veteran Ben Magara Named New Exxaro CEO

Exxaro Resources Limited chose Ben Magara to lead the company as CEO starting April 1, 2025. The firm conducted an…

March 13, 2025

This website uses cookies.