U.S. Africa Command announced on Friday they had conducted an airstrike near the Jilib, Middle Juba Region, in support of the Somali government, that killed over 50 al-Shabaab militants.
“U.S. Africa Command conducted the airstrike in response to an attack by a large group of al-Shabaab militants against Somali National Army Forces,” they stated in a press release. “We currently assess this airstrike killed fifty-two (52) militants.”
No civilians were killed in the strike.
“Alongside our Somali and international partners, we are committed to preventing al-Shabaab from taking advantage of safe havens from which they can build capacity and attack the people of Somalia,” AFRICOM added. “In particular, the group uses portions of southern and central Somalia to plot and direct terror attacks, steal humanitarian aid, extort the local populace to fund its operations, and shelter radical terrorists.”
For the month of January, AFRICOM airstrikes have killed 78 al-Shabaab fighters.
Al-Shabaab Degraded by U.S., Federal Government of Somalia - https://t.co/5w1X777YKh pic.twitter.com/yGsgC7Hgmu
— US AFRICOM (@USAfricaCommand) January 3, 2019
Al-Shabaab was the same group that carried out the attacks in Nairobi, Kenya last week that killed 14 people. The terror group has conducted several deadly attacks in Kenya after the country sent troops to fight them, according to AP.