Second U.S Airstrike Kills 9 Alshabaab militants in Somalia

By Machuki Dennson

At least nine Al-Shabaab terrorists have been killed in the second airstrikes in Somalia by the U.S. Army. US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed of the airstrike in Janaale.

The first airstrike on Monday this week conducted in Lower Shabelle region within the vicinity of Janaale killed four Al-Shabaab terrorists.

Janaale lies about 70 km (44 miles) southwest of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, in the country’s Lower Shabelle region

Initial assessment by AFRICOM indicate that the airstrike, which did not kill or injure any civilians or others, took place in Janaale, Somalia on Tuesday.

Last week, U.S. carried out three separate airstrikes and killed six terrorists, in addition wounded several others.

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Miguel A. Castellanos, the deputy director of operations has said that, U.S. will continue to work closely with allied partners by taking decisive action in putting pressure on their network and subsequently eliminate them in Somalia.

This was 22^nd airstrike targeting Al-Shabaab militants in Somalia so far, this year and the highest within a similar period in the previous years and encounters indicating of stepped up operations against the extremist network.

The strikes show ramped up offensive assaults by the US against the al Qaeda affiliate in the horn of Africa in collaboration with the Federal Government of Somalia.

Three of the strikes—two on March 2 and a third on March 5—targeted al-Shabab militants near Qunyo Barrow, Somalia, in the country’s Middle Juba region. A fourth strike targeted one of the terror group’s camps near Gandarshe, which is located about 33 miles south of Mogadishu.

Mostly the airstrikes are targeted in remote villages in southern and central Somalia where the group still maintains control.

U.S. military forces conducted more than 60 airstrikes in Somalia during 2019, setting a record. They previously conducted 47 airstrikes in 2018 and 35 in 2017.

Al Shabaab has been suffering major losses in a trend expected to continue until the terror organization is defeated.