US Africa Command carries out a strike in Somalia; 17 Al-Shabaab terrorists eliminated

US military conducted a strike on Wednesday to neutralise Al-Shabaab terrorists in Somalia, according to a release issued by the US Africa Command. The strike has resulted in the neurtalisation of 17 terrorists, with zero harm caused to civilians. The strike was carried out after request by Somalia's government, as per a report from CNN. Somalia's army is engaged in a fight with Al-Shabaab terror group and the strike occured around 285 kms away from Mogadishu. 

Al-Shabaab terror group is an offshot of Al-Qaeda and it mainly operates in the African continent. “Al-Shabaab is the largest and most deadly Al-Qaeda network in the world and has proven both its will and capability to attack Somali, East African, and American civilians,” read the statement by US Africa command. The US has been providing support to the Somalian government since May of this year, after US President Joe Biden greenlighted support for the African nation. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia came into office this May and declared total war on the terrorist organisation. Biden also approved a Pentagon request to re-deploy American troops in the region, with the aim of countering Al-Shabaab terrorists. Americans and Somalians are attempting to defeat Al-Shebaab, which according to the Pentagon is the most active Al-Qaeda network in the world. 

History of Al-Shabaab's terror attacks in Somalia

Back in October, a US strike killed two Al-Shabaab terrorists but the one carried out on Wednesday, is the most significant strike yet. On 7 November, Al-Shabaab terrorists attacked a military base in central Somalia, resulting in the death of 15 people. During the last week of October, Al-Shabaab carried out two bomb blasts in the capital city of Mogadishu. The bomb blasts resulted in the death of more than 100 people and wounded more than 300 people, as per a report from Fox News. The bomb blasts two week ago were the most signicant terror attack in Somalia, since 2017, when a bomb blast by Al- Shabaab in the same area resulted in the death of more than 500 people.