US conducts airstrike against Al Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia
U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab over the weekend in Somalia.
The airstrike by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) targeted an area nearly 40 miles northwest of Kismayo, Somalia, where al-Shabab was reportedly located.
According to a press release from AFRICOM, al-Shabab "has proven both its will and capability to attack U.S. forces."
"AFRICOM, alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali Armed Forces, continues to take action to degrade al-Shabab's ability to plan and conduct attacks that threaten the U.S. homeland, our forces, and our citizens abroad," the press release read.
No further details about units and assets were released to ensure continued security of operations.
The East African country of Somalia has been wracked for decades by attacks and insurgency from Islamist terrorists, both from ISIS and al-Shabab.
U.S. Africa Command reported in April that it had carried out four airstrikes: three against ISIS terrorists and one against al-Shabab. At least one of these strikes, the command stated, was against multiple targets.
For years, the U.S. has helped Somali forces with airstrikes and other support against the al-Shabab extremist group.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, in March, drafted a letter to Trump offering the U.S. exclusive access to air bases and seaports, which reignited tensions between the government of Somalia and the breakaway region of Somaliland, the Associated Press reported.
In the letter, Somalia offered "exclusive operational control" over the Berbera and Baledogle air bases and the ports of Berbera and Bosaso to "bolster American engagement in the region."
One of the ports, Berbera, is in a key city located in Somaliland, whose long assertion as an independent state has not received international recognition.
Somaliland, a former British protectorate, declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after the collapse of the central government. It maintains its own government, security forces and currency and has held elections.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Father, son facing terrorism charges in alleged Toronto plot to stand trial in 2026
A father and son accused of planning an ISIS-inspired mass murder in Toronto have been ordered to stand trial next year. Lawyers for Ahmed and Mostafa Eldidi appeared in Superior Court in Newmarket, Ont., this morning. The court scheduled a six-week jury trial, to begin Sept. 8, 2026. The RCMP said the accused were "in the advanced stages of planning a serious, violent attack" when the men were arrested with an axe and a machete in a Richmond Hill hotel in July 2024. Ahmed Eldidi and his son Mostafa 27, both face a charge of conspiracy to commit murder, as well as terrorism offences. Ahmed Eldidi, 63, separately faces war crimes charges in connection with an ISIS propaganda video showing a man dismembering a prisoner in 2015. A separate trial on those charges, expected to last roughly five weeks, has been scheduled for Nov. 9, 2026. The RCMP said it marked the first national security investigation where war crimes charges have been laid in Canada. Lawyers for both Eldidis are scheduled to return to court on June 27 at 9 am. Both accused remain in custody.
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Bloomberg
Kenyan Tinderbox Faces Protest-Anniversary Test
Welcome to Next Africa, a twice-weekly newsletter on where the continent stands now — and where it's headed. Sign up here to have it delivered to your email. The sight of hundreds of hooded motorcyclists clubbing and whipping mostly Gen Z demonstrators in Nairobi this week took protests in the Kenyan capital to a dangerous new level.
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Bloomberg
Why Kenyans Are Back on the Streets: Protests, Corruption, and a Crisis of Trust
A year since deadly protests against the Kenyan government saw more than 60 people killed, Kenyans are again taking to the streets to protest police brutality. These protests, triggered by the death of a kenyan activist in police custody, come as the IMF arrive in the country to assess Kenya's attempts to tackle corruption. On this week's episode East Africa Bureau Chief Helen Nyambura joins Jennifer Zabasajja to discuss what's behind these new protests, and whether President Ruto can actually tackle corruption and do a deal with the IMF to turn the economy around. For more stories from the region, subscribe to the Next Africa newsletter here
