The US has conducted an airstrike against an Al-Qaeda-linked Islamist group in Somalia over the weekend. According to the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), the Somali government had requested combat support on Saturday because the national army was “engaged” by Al-Shabaab terrorists.
The US responded with “a collective self-defense airstrike” around 45 kilometers of the southern coastal city of Kismayo. The initial assessment was that 13 militants were killed and no civilians were hurt, AFRICOM said in a statement.
“The command will continue to assess the results of this operation and will provide additional information as appropriate,” the statement read.
The Pentagon has increased drone strikes in Somalia in recent months, citing requests from the country’s federal government. In July, the US said five al-Shabaab fighters were killed by an American UAV in a remote part of the country.
An offshoot of Al-Qaeda,…
