Source: Wikipedia Commons /  American drones such as the remotely piloted General Atomics MQ-1 Predator,  have been used primarily by the United States Air Force for counter-terror airstrikes in the Horn-of-African nation Somalia.

By Gary  Raynaldo   –  DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

A U.S. airstrike against Al Shabaab Friday killed 30 jihadists northeast of Mogadishu near Galcad, Somalia, AFRICOM confirmed. The strike occurred approximately 260 km northeast of Mogadishu where Somalia National Army forces were engaged in heavy fighting following a complex, extended, intense attack by more than 100 al-Shabaab fighters, according to AFRICOM. “At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia and in support of Somali National Army engagements against al-Shabaab, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense strike on Jan. 20, 2023”,  AFRICOM said in a statement.  The military command said the combined actions by partner forces on the ground and the collective self-defense strike is estimated to have resulted in three destroyed vehicles.  Given the remote location of the fighting, the command assesses that no civilians were injured or killed.

“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,”  -AFRICOM said in the statement. 

U.S. Biden Administration Steps Up Airstrikes in SOMALIA

In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted two airstrikes in Somalia on Jan. 1, 2021.   The U.S. Biden administration on Jul 20, 2021 carried out its first airstrike in Somaila  (credit: africom.mil)

Somalia remains central to stability and security in all of East Africa, AFRICOM said.   On Dec. 23, 2022, a U.S. airstrike against Al Shabaab killed six jihadists in late December northeast of Mogadishu near Cadale, Somalia.  In December 2020, the Trump administration ordered the withdrawal of more than 700 U.S. troops from Somalia by early 2021. The Biden administration  resumed  military activity inside Somalia in the first quarter of 2022.  President Biden’s Department of Defense has since been striking hard against Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa.  By early June 2022, the Pentagon conducted at least eight airstrikes in Somalia.