The U.S. Africa Command bombed an al-Shabaab compound near Dujuuma, Somalia, on Sunday, the seventh in…
The U.S. Africa Command bombed an al-Shabaab compound near Dujuuma, Somalia, on Sunday, the seventh in a series of strikes on the terrorist group this month in operations coordinated with the Somalia government.
Three militants were wounded, per a U.S. assessment, a day after two others were killed and one wounded at a compound near Saakow, Somalia, and four days after a strike killed three people near Wadajir, Somalia. No civilians were injured or killed, per a U.S. assessment.
Gregory Hadfield, the deputy director of intelligence for the U.S. Africa Command, touted the importance of U.S. support for the counter-terrorism mission.
“China and Russia appear content to remain on the sidelines as our African partners, with U.S. support, fight extremism and pave the way to enhanced security and stability on the continent,” he said in a statement.
Africa Command said the al-Qaeda-aligned group’s leadership has expressed a desire to attack U.S. interests, but lacks the capability to strike the U.S. homeland due to pressure placed on the group.
U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo visited Africa last week in an effort to reassure allies that the U.S. is committed to fighting the spread of Islamist militancy, even as the Trump administration weighs cutting troops stationed across the continent.
