Somalia: US airstrike kills 13 al-Shabaab militants

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia

At least 13 al-Shabaab fighters were killed in Somalia’s lower Shabelle region on Friday, according to the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).

The airstrike hit Gandershe village some 45 kilometers (27 miles) south of the Somali capital Mogadishu, AFRICOM said in a statement on Twitter on Saturday evening.

“To support the Federal Government of Somalia's continued efforts to degrade al-Shabaab, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab fighters in the vicinity of Gandarshe, Lower Shebelle Region, Somalia, on February 1, 2019,” the U.S. military statement said.

“U.S. Africa Command currently assesses this airstrike killed thirteen (13) militants. At this time, it was assessed no civilians were injured or killed in this airstrike,” the statement added.

Adow Mohamed, Somali National Army (SNA) captain in lower Shebelle region confirmed the airstrike to Anadolu Agency over the phone.

On December 15 and 16, U.S. forces operating in Somalia had conducted six airstrikes near Gandershe which killed at least 62 al-Shabaab militants, who were preparing for an attack on a Somali government military base in the region, according to the U.S. Africa Command.

This airstrike comes three days after a U.S. airstrike that killed at least 24 al-Shabaab fighters in Shebeeley village of the central Hiran region.