A Somali regional government official has demanded an explanation from the US after 22 civilians and Somali soldiers were reportedly killed in an airstrike.

Officials in the semi-autonomous region of Galmudug accused neighbouring Puntland of misleading the US into believing they had targeted extremists.

The Somali military confirmed its soldiers were killed in the strike.

Washington says the strike killed nine al-Shabab militants, but that it was investigating.

Residents in the city of Galkayo in the Galmudug region protested against the strike by burning American flags on Thursday.

"The cabinet requests the US government give a clear explanation about the attack its planes carried out on the Galmudug forces," a government statement said.

Al-Shabab had said it did not have any of its supporters in the area during the time of the bombing which took place late on Tuesday night.

A Somali military general confirmed their statement on Thursday, saying there were no militants in the area. </s> MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Somali government has accused U.S. forces of carrying out an airstrike earlier this week which killed 13 Somali soldiers.

The Somali government on Thursday demanded an explanation from the U.S. for the airstrike, expressing concerns that American forces may have acted on a false tipoff from the rival, semi-autonomous Puntland state.

The confusion over who launched the attack in the early hours of Wednesday deepened after the Pentagon denied it targeted Somali forces but said it did carry out an airstrike in the same area that killed nine Islamic extremist fighters from al-Shabab.

Photos of the aftermath of the attack showed the burned out shells of two armored vehicles and bodies burned beyond recognition. The bodies, covered in white shrouds, were later buried outside Galkayo town, as hundreds of mourners protested the attack and vowed retaliation for the soldiers' deaths. Galkayo is a town divided between the rival states of Puntland and Galmudug.

"We believe that such behavior will not serve the positive spirit and energy of fighting terrorism," said a statement from the Galmudug administration. It asked the U.S. for an apology and compensation for the victims. The Galmudug state also warned that the strike would divert attention from fighting Islamic extremism to a political rivalry, apparently with its rival Puntland state.

In an earlier airstrike the U.S. killed four al-Shabab extremists on Monday. The attack was conducted after extremists launched attacks on Somali troops and their U.S. advisers on Monday near the port city of Kismayo, the U.S. Africa command said in a statement.

U.S. forces have carried out several airstrikes in Somalia in recent years, killing many al-Shabab leaders. The extremist group is now mostly active in rural regions but continues to launch lethal attacks in many parts of this Horn of Africa nation, including the capital. </s> , NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 1- Another United States forces airstrike targeting Al-Shabaab terrorists in Somalia has killed 24 militants.

The Thursday’s attack in Shebeeley, Hiran Region comes barely two weeks after another deadly airstrike killed 52 terrorists.

According to the United States Africa command, the precision airstrike is part of a larger effort to support the Somali National Army as it increases pressure on the terrorist network and its recruiting efforts in the region.

“We are partnered with the Federal Government of Somalia, and other international partners, to protect the people of Somalia,” said Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Gregg Olson, U.S. Africa Command director of operations.

“Precision strikes are part of our strategy. Strikes continue to help our partners make progress in their fight against the transnational terrorists who oppose peace in Somalia and in the region.”

After the 14 Riverside attack on January 15 that claimed 21 lives of them an American, the Al-Qaeda linked militants claimed responsibility saying they were revenging against the US for moving their embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

“U.S. Africa Command will continue to work with its partners to transfer the responsibility for long-term security in Somalia from AMISOM to the Federal Government of Somalia and its Member States, and U.S. forces will use all effective and appropriate methods to protect the Somali people, including partnered military counter-terror operations with the Federal Government of Somalia, AMISOM and Somali National Army forces,” reads the statement.

Over the last five months, US Forces similar air strikes have killed hundreds of Al-Shabaab terrorists. </s> A U.S. military airstrike in central Somalia this weekend killed 60 Al Shabab fighters, the largest airstrike targeting the al-Qaeda affiliated terror group in more than a year, officials said Tuesday.

U.S. Africa Command said in a statement that the strike occurred on October 12 near Harardere, a town 250 miles north of Mogadishu.

“We currently assess this airstrike killed approximately sixty (60) terrorists,” said the statement. “This precision airstrike was the largest airstrike against al-Shabaab since November 21, 2017, when U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against an al-Shabaab camp killing approximately 100 terrorists.”

“We also currently assess this airstrike did not injure or kill any civilians,” it added.

Airstrikes in Somalia are usually carried out by unmanned Reaper drones and are small in scope.

U.S. Africa Command is authorized to conduct self-defense strikes in situations when African Union or Somali government troops accompanied by U.S. advisers came under attack.

They are also authorized to conduct offensive airstrikes in the southern part of the country targeting al Shabab safe havens.

Africom had disclosed the airstrike on October 12, but had provided no details other than to say “we are currently assessing the results of this airstrike.”

The Nov. 21, 2017, airstrike targeted an al Shabab training camp in southern Somalia and occurred during a time when there was an uptick in the number of airstrikes against the militant group.

There are about 500 U.S. military personnel in Somalia participating in an advise and assist mission with the Somali military. </s> NAIROBI (Reuters) - A U.S. air strike in central Somalia on Monday killed 20 al Shabaab fighters, the U.S. Africa Command said on Tuesday.

The United States carries out regular air strikes in Somalia in support of a United Nations-backed government there, which has been fighting against an al Shabaab insurgency for years.

The Africa Command (Africom) said U.S. forces targeted an al Shabaab training camp near Shebeeley, Hiran Region, that was used to stage attacks.

“It is assessed this airstrike killed 20 terrorists and destroyed one vehicle,” it said.

No independent confirmation was available.

While the pace of strikes has increased recently, it is unclear what lasting impact, if any, the strikes are having on the militant group.

Al Shabaab wants to overthrow the weak, U.N.-backed Somali government and impose strict Islamic law. </s> NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 17- Some 62 Al-Shabaab militants have been killed in Somalia during 6 air strikes by the United States forces.

The airstrikes that were launched between Friday and Saturday last week targeted the militants within the vicinity of Gandarshe.

The first airstrikes claimed the lives of 34 militants while 28 others were killed on Saturday according to a statement issued by the Germany based US-Africa Command.

“Alongside our Somali and international partners, we are committed to preventing al-Shabaab from taking advantage of safe havens from which they can build capacity and attack the people of Somalia. In particular, the group uses portions of southern and central Somalia to plot and direct terror attacks, steal humanitarian aid, extort the local populace to fund its operations, and shelter radical terrorists,” the US-Africa command said in a statement.

In the past, the US forces have been accused of killing civilians during such airstrikes, but none was killed according to a preliminary assessment, the Command says.

Together with other AMISOM forces, the US said it conducted the airstrikes to prevent terrorists from using remote areas as a safe haven to plot, direct, inspire, and recruit for future attacks in Somalia and the region.

On October 16, an airstrike left 60 dead in Central Somalia. This was the deadliest attack since November 2017 when 100 terrorists were killed.

In the past, the US forces have been accused of killing civilians during the air strikes.

Since 2007, Al Shabaab has fought to overthrow successive internationally-backed governments in Mogadishu.

It was in 2011 that the Al-Qaeda affiliated group was pushed out of Mogadishu, the Somali capital and subsequently from other key towns including the port city of Kismayu. </s> JOHANNESBURG—A U.S. military airstrike has killed 18 Al Shabab extremists after U.S. and local forces on the ground came under attack in southern Somalia, the U.S. Africa Command said Saturday. No U.S. or Somali forces were killed or injured in the attack, an AFRICOM spokesman, Nate Herring, told The Associated Press. The airstrike was carried out Friday in self-defence after extremists were “observed manoeuvring on a combined patrol,” while the U.S. also responded with “indirect fire,” the spokesman said.

The confrontation occurred about 50 kilometres northwest of the port city of Kismayo, the U.S. Africa Command statement said. Two other Al Shabab extremists were killed by Somali forces “with small arms fire during the engagement,” it said. The operation was Somali-led, the AFRICOM spokesman said. There was no immediate comment from Somali authorities. The U.S. has carried out more than 20 airstrikes this year against the Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabab, the deadliest Islamic extremist group in sub-Saharan Africa.

Since the expanded operations, two U.S. military personnel have been killed in Somalia. A service member was killed in May 2017 during an operation about 64 kilometres west of Mogadishu. And in June, one U.S. special operations soldier was killed and four U.S. service members wounded in an “enemy attack” as troops with Somali and Kenyan forces came under mortar and small-arms fire in Jubaland.

The U.S. currently has about 500 military personnel in the Horn of Africa nation. Al Shabab, which seeks to establish an Islamic state in Somalia, was pushed out of Mogadishu in recent years but continues to control rural areas in the south and central regions. Its fighters continue to attack the bases of a multinational African Union force that remains largely responsible for security as Somalia’s fragile central government tries to recover from decades of chaos. In the next few years Somali forces are expected to take over responsibility for the country’s security as the AU force withdraws. Concerns about their readiness remain high, and the UN Security Council recently voted to delay the handover’s target date to December 2021. </s> The U.S. military over the weekend unleashed an intense air assault targeting al-Shabaab militants in Somalia, killing at least 62 in a series of strikes aimed at denying the terrorist group a safe haven from which to launch attacks.

The strikes in the Gandarshe region of Somalia — which mark the latest step in a growing U.S.-led military campaign targeting the terrorist group in Africa — were conducted in coordination with the Somali government, U.S. Africa Command said in a statement early Monday morning.

At least 34 militants were killed on Saturday and another 28 killed Sunday, Pentagon officials said.

The military said no civilians were killed or injured in any of the six separate bombings.

“All six airstrikes … targeted a known al-Shabaab encampment,” U.S. Africa Command said in the statement. “U.S. Africa Command and our Somali partners conducted these airstrikes to prevent terrorists from using remote areas as a safe haven to plot, direct, inspire, and recruit for future attacks.”

“We are committed to preventing al-Shabaab from taking advantage of safe havens from which they can build capacity and attack the people of Somalia,” the U.S. military said. “In particular, the group uses portions of southern and central Somalia to plot and direct terror attacks, steal humanitarian aid, extort the local populace to fund its operations, and shelter radical terrorists.”

The U.S. in recent months has ramped up its air campaign against the terrorist group, which is affiliated with al Qaeda. There are estimated to be as many as 9,000 al-Shabaab fighters across Somalia.

In addition to the continuing air strikes, there have also been clashes between al-Shabaab fighters and U.S. forces on the ground in Somalia.

Last June, an American soldier was killed and another four wounded in a firefight with militants in southwestern Somalia. </s> A United States airstrike in Somalia has killed 35 suspected al-Shabaab militants, the U.S. Africa Command said on Monday.

The strike in central Hiran region on Sunday “interrupted an al-Shabaab attempt to mass their forces,’’ the U.S. disclosed in a statement.

U.S. forces are partnering African Union troops (AMISOM) and the Somali National Security Forces in combined counterterrorism operations in the troubled East African nation.

Al-Shabaab is seeking to establish a fundamentalist Islamist state in Somalia.

They regularly launch attacks on government buildings, hotels and restaurants in the volatile Horn of Africa nation.

The group is affiliated with the international al-Qaeda terrorist network.
A Somalian regional government demands an explanation from the United States after an airstrike kills 22 civilians and other soldiers instead of the targeted Al-Shabaab militants in Galmudug.