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. (Source: Creative Commons)
By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES
The United States military command in Africa (AFRICOM) confirmed that an airstrike against al Shabaab killed one militant in Somalia Sunday. The command said the U.S. in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia conducted the airstrike against the terrorist group al-Shabaab in the Middle Jubba Region. AFRICOM said there were no civilian casualties. According to the VOA, the Somali government reported that a high-ranking al-Shabab commander was targeted in the air strike. “This is another step to defeat the terrorist group that undermines Somalia’s peace and development,” AFRICOM said in a statement, adding that “al-Shabaab is the largest and most kinetically active al-Qaeda network in the world and has proved both its will and capability to attack U.S. forces and threaten U.S. security interests.”
U.S. Airstrikes in SOMALIA Rise Sharply Under President Biden
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)
Since the beginning of the year, the U.S. has conducted 14 airstrikes in Somalia and 12 the year before, according to AFRICOM data. 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. US air strikes in Somalia increased 30 percent in 2022.
AFRICOM Commander Gen. Langley Visits Somalia To Discuss Al Shabaab
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, commander, U.S. Africa Command (left) meets with Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Mogadishu during visit to Somalia June 13-14, 2023. (Credit: africom.mil)
In June, Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, Commander of U.S. Africa Command, visited Somalia last week to discuss military operations including the “shared fight” against terror group al Shabaab, according to AFRICOM. While in Somalia capital city Mogadishu, Langley met with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Somalia Minister of Defense, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, senior State Department and defense officials, and African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). In Kismayo, Langley met with the Jubaland Federal Member State President Ahmed Madobe, and Danab leadership, as well as U.S. troops to witness ongoing training efforts, and see ongoing operations firsthand, AFRICOM said.
On August 9, 2022, Gen. Langley became AFRICOM’s sixth commander since the command was established in 2008. The AFRICOM chief says he is looking to help African nations find African solutions. Last year, Gen. Langley visited Djibouti, Somalia, and Manda Bay, Kenya. In March, Langley delivered the 2023 U.S. Africa Command posture statement before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Among other things, the commander said African nations would be better off by not getting involved with the controversial Russian Wagner Group to help solve their problems.
