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. </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, 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> Mogadishu, Feb 3 (IANS) The US army on Saturday said its forces conducted an airstrike in Somalia on Friday, killing 13 Al-Shabaab terrorists.

The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a statement that no civilians were injured or killed in the strike which targetted the militants in the vicinity of Gandarshe in Lower Shebelle region, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the statement, the extremist group has previously used Gandarshe, about 48 km from Mogadishu, as a staging area for attacks including vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices that threaten the capital and its residents.

On December 15 and 16, 2018, six US airstrikes killed 62 Al-Shabaab militants near Gandarshe, who according to AFRICOM were preparing for an attack on a Somali government military base in the region, and on Wednesday a US airstrike killed 24 militants in neighbouring Hiran region.

The US strikes have largely targetted Al-Shabaab figureheads based in southern and central Somalia where the group still maintains a strong grip in some areas. </s> US military says airstrike kills 20 al-Shabab in Somalia

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The United States military says it has killed 20 fighters from the al-Shabab extremist group with an airstrike in central Somalia, a day after another airstrike in the area killed 35.

The U.S. military command for the African continent says the attack occurred on Monday near Shebeeley in the Hiran region and targeted a training camp used as a staging area for attacks.

The U.S. has dramatically increased airstrikes against the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab, Africa's deadliest extremist group, since President Donald Trump took office.

The U.S. has carried out 23 strikes this year.

Authorities and experts acknowledge that it will take more than airstrikes to defeat the extremist group, which holds large parts of rural central and southern Somalia and carries out deadly suicide attacks in the capital, Mogadishu. </s> The United States military says it has killed 35 fighters from the al-Shabab extremist group with an airstrike in central Somalia, not far from the Ethiopian border.

In a statement Monday, the U.S. military command for the African continent said the airstrike took place on Sunday about 23 miles east of Beledweyne in the Hiran region and targeted the fighters as they were traveling in a rural area.

US SAYS 4 AIRSTRIKES IN SOMALIA KILL 2 AL-SHABAB FIGHTERS

The U.S. has dramatically increased airstrikes against the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab, the deadliest extremist group in Africa, since President Donald Trump took office.

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Authorities and experts acknowledge that it will take more than airstrikes to defeat the extremist group, which continues to hold large parts of rural central and southern Somalia and carry out deadly attacks in the capital, Mogadishu. </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, 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> , NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 1 – Another airstrike by American forces targeting Al-Shabaab terrorists in Somalia has killed 24 militants.

The attack that occurred on Thursday in Shebeeley, Hiran Region comes barely two weeks after another deadly airstrike killed 52 terrorists in Jilib area, in the Middle Juba region.

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.

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.
United States Africa Command says a U.S. airstrike has killed 35 al-Shabaab militants in Somalia's central Hiran administrative region.