US strikes ‘kill more than 100 Shabaab terrorists’ in Somalia

MOGADISHU

US aircraft attacked southern Somalia on Saturday morning,

killing more than 100 Al-Shabaab militants, including 20

commanders, residents and officials have said.

Witnesses said the planes targeted the militants’ hideouts in

Wargaduud and El-Adde where many Kenyan soldiers were

killed by the terrorists in January 2016.

Among senior Shabaab commanders killed in the dawn attack

that also destroyed two Vehicles Bound Explosive Devices at

Wargaduud were Abdirahman Fillow and Abdirahman Ben Dutie.

Dutie was from Marehanrer Dalal section.

“Yesterday (Friday) night at Wargaduud and El-Adde, US airstrikes

killed 20 Al-Shabaab commanders, among them Abdirahman

Fillow and about 85 militants,” said a security official who

declined to be named.

SIEGE CONTINUES

“The strike happened at 2am and the siege continues.”

Residents in El-Adde reported hearing explosions just after

midnight on Friday.

“There was heavy bombing on an Al-Shabaab base near El-Adde

Town but we don’t know the number of casualties. We heard

sounds of jets and then explosions,” a resident said.

The bombardment came after US military officials said soldiers

had been deployed to Somalia to train and equip the national

and African Union forces fighting the terrorists.

The team is carrying out a train-and-equip mission that is

expected to last through the end of September, according to

American officials.

SPECIAL OPERATIONS

The US soldiers will join the small number of special

operations forces already in Somalia providing counterterrorism

support to local forces.

America maintains a small unit of about 50 troops in the

country, mainly to advise and assist Somalia and Amison

soldiers. When called in, their helicopters, drones and

manned aircraft are available for quick response.

President Donald Trump in March granted additional powers

to US Africa Command to conduct counterterrorism strikes

against the terrorists.

HIGH ALERT

The bombing came just hours after Kenyan security agencies

were put on high alert following reports that nine Kenyans who

had joined Al-Shabaab in Somalia could be headed back to the

country to launch attacks.

The alert said the terrorists were returning home following

sustained attacks by Kenya Defence Forces troops who are

part of Amisom.

Police asked Kenyans to be on the alert and report any suspicious

people. The attacks were to be carried out during the Easter weekend, according to the police report.

In the last one month, Kenyan troops say they have killed at least

90 Al-Shabaab terrorists in Somalia, “which has weakened the

group’s capability to launch attacks”.

Source        –    Daily Nation