07 September, 2017
The US Department of Defense said on Wednesday that it has killed 3 Shabab militants in an airstrike which was coordinated with the Federal government of Somalia, Statement from the US Africa Command said. Both it and the USA military are trying to prepare Somalia's armed forces to take over the country's security before the African Union's planned departure by the end of 2020.
Military Operations Coordination Committee (MOCC) for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has called for the reduction of AMISOM military personnel and the gradual hand over of security responsibilities to the Somali National Security Forces (SNSF).
The al-Shabab members were operating "in close proximity to" Somali army forces and African Union forces in the area "and were deemed as a credible threat", Falvo said.
The US military is conducting "intensified" strikes in Somalia ordered by President Donald Trump to crush al-Shabaab extremists linked with al-Qaeda terrorist group in the country.
This is the latest in a growing series of U.S. airstrikes in Somalia in recent months, as President Trump has granted United States commanders in the region an increasing amount of leeway in ordering attacks.
US forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect Americans and to disable terrorist threats.