The U.S. Army reported Friday that they have successfully killed at least 17 Al Shabaab terrorists in Somalia following a U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) operation.
The offensive took place some 285 kilometers northeast of the capital, Mogadishu, at the request of the Somali government. Washington said no civilians were killed or injured during the operation, according to a statement posted by AFRICOM on its Twitter account.
«Al Shabaab is the largest and deadliest Al Qaeda network in the world and has demonstrated both its willingness and ability to target civilians in Somalia, East Africa, as well as Americans,» it said.
Washington’s announcement comes shortly after Somalia reported the death of about 100 Al Shabaab terrorists following two operations by its military forces in the Galgadud (central) and Lower Shabelle (southern) regions.
Somalia has in recent months stepped up offensives against Al Shabaab and has even banned the group’s name has claimed to be referred to as ‘jauarij’, a word meaning «deviant sect».
The offensives against Al Shabaab, which are supported by local clans and militias, are part of a series of decisions taken by the new 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.
