The US military said Wednesday it carried out three air strikes north ofSomalia’s capital Mogadishu, killing four fighters from the Al-ShabaabIslamist group.
The strikes took place Tuesday in Beledweyne, 350 kilometres (220 miles)north of Mogadishu, after militants from the group with links to Al-Qaedaattached Somali soldiers, US Africa Command said in a statement.
Initial indications are that no civilians were killed or wounded in theoperation, Africom said.
Al-Shabaab has led an insurrection against Somalia’s federal government for15 years. The group’s fighters were driven out of Mogadishu in 2011 by anAfrican Union force.
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However, the group still controls swathes of the countryside and frequentlystrikes civilian and military targets. Its attacks have intensified inrecent months.
In May, US President Joe Biden ordered the re-establishment of a US trooppresence in Somalia to help local authorities combat Al-Shabaab, reversinga decision by his predecessor Donald Trump to withdraw most US forces.-APP/AFP
