Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa covering President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. government, UN, IMF, World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington and New York.
A U.S. airstrike on Monday killed two al-Shabaab fighters in a remote area near Xaradheere, approximately 396 km northeast of Mogadishu where Somali forces were conducting operations.
“Given the remote location of the operation, the initial assessment is that no civilians were injured or killed,” U.S. Africa Command wrote in a statement on Tuesday.
The latest strike comes just days after the United States army announced on Saturday morning that an airstrike it conducted on Friday killed over 30 al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia in self-defense.
“The strike occurred approximately 260 km northeast of Mogadishu near Galcad, Somalia where Somalia National Army forces were engaged in heavy fighting following a complex, extended, intense attack by more than 100 al-Shabaab fighters,” the U.S. Africa Command said in a statement received by Today News Africa.
“The combined actions by partner forces on the ground and the collective self-defense strike is estimated to have resulted in three destroyed vehicles and approximately thirty al-Shabaab terrorists killed,” added the Command.
The U.S. is one of several countries providing support to the Federal Government of Somalia in its ongoing campaign to disrupt, degrade and defeat terrorist groups.
“Rooting out extremism ultimately requires intervention beyond traditional military means, leveraging U.S. and partner efforts to support effective governance, promote stabilization and economic development, and resolve ongoing conflicts,” AFRICOM wrote in its statement on Tuesday.
It added, “U.S. Africa Command is the defense arm of the U.S. whole-of-government approach with African partners — diplomacy, development and defense.
“This three-pronged, or “3D” approach aims to increase cooperation and support for “partner-led, U.S.-enabled” solutions to shared security challenges, including violent extremism or terrorism.
“All kinetic operations conducted and supported by U.S. Africa Command are done in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia.
“Somalia remains central to stability and security in all of East Africa. U.S. Africa Command’s forces will continue training, advising, and equipping partner forces to help give them the tools they need to defeat al-Shabaab, the largest and most deadly al-Qaeda network in the world.
“U.S. Africa Command will continue to assess the results of this operation and will provide additional information as appropriate. Specific details about the units involved and assets used will not be released in order to ensure operations security.
“The Federal Government of Somalia and U.S. Africa Command take great measures to prevent civilian casualties. Protecting civilians remains a vital part of the command’s operations to promote greater security for all Africans.”