The U.S. Army has announced the deaths of 15 suspected Al Shabaab members in bombings carried out over the past few days in the name of «collective self-defense» around the Somali town of Cadale, amid increased operations against the terrorist group.
The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a statement that the strikes were carried out on December 14 and 17 «at the request of the Federal Government of Somalia» to «support» the Somali Army’s operations against Al Shabaab in this area of the country.
Thus, it has indicated that seven «terrorists» were killed in the December 14 bombing, while eight others were killed on December 17. «AFRICOM’s initial assessment is that no civilians were injured or killed as a result of any of the bombings,» he stressed.
In this regard, he has stressed that it «takes great measures to avoid civilian casualties» and added that «protecting civilians remains a crucial part of the command’s operations to promote greater security for all Africans.»
«Al Shabaab is the largest and deadliest Al Qaeda network in the world and has demonstrated its willingness and ability to target Somali, East African and American civilians,» he has argued, while reiterating that U.S. «kinetic actions» are «in support of the Federal Government of Somalia’s campaign to disrupt terrorist operations in the country.»
Thus, he explained that «Somalia remains key to stability and security in East Africa» and added that «AFRICOM forces will continue to train, advise and equip partner forces to give them the tools they need to defeat Al Shabaab.»
The announcement has come after Somali authorities claimed on Sunday to have killed nearly 150 suspected Al Shabaab members in operations carried out over the past few days. Mogadishu reported on Saturday the death of Mohamed Yusuf Jingab, a senior member of the terrorist group responsible for the «Radicalization Department.»
Somalia has in recent months stepped up offensives against Al Shabaab with support from local clans and militias as part of a series of decisions taken by President Hassan Shaykh Mohamud, who pledged on taking office to put the fight against terrorism at the center of his efforts to stabilize the African country.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
