The US launched an airstrike in southern Somalia on Sunday as part of an operation in collaboration with the Mogadishu-based government, Voice of America reported.
The US-backed government claimed the operation killed a senior al-Shabaab commander. US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the accuracy of the government’s report to VOA, a US-state-funded media outlet, although AFRICOM has not announced the strike in a press release.
The last declared US airstrike in Somalia took place in August, although the monitoring group Airwars reported several suspected US strikes in the country in September. Not every US airstrike in Somalia is reported by the military, as US operations in the country are shrouded in secrecy.
US airstrikes in Somalia escalated in 2022 after President Biden ordered the deployment of up to 500 troops to the country, and the Mogadishu-based government launched an offensive against al-Shabaab.
When the House debated a resolution to withdraw from Somalia earlier this year, lawmakers said there were 900 troops in the country. US troops on the ground in Somalia provide training for a special fighting force known as the Danab Brigade.
US operations in Somalia under Biden have not gotten as intense as they were during the Trump administration when the US bombed the country at a record pace.
The US military hypes the threat of al-Shabaab due to its size and al-Qaeda affiliation, but it’s widely believed the group does not have ambitions outside of Somalia.
Al-Shabaab was born out of a US-backed Ethiopian invasion in 2006 that toppled the Islamic Courts Union, a coalition of Muslim groups who briefly held power in Mogadishu after ousting CIA-backed warlords.
Al-Shabaab was the radical offshoot of the Islamic Courts Union. The group’s first recorded attack was in 2007, and it wasn’t until 2012 that al-Shabaab pledged loyalty to al-Qaeda after years of fighting the US and its proxies.
So, when will the movie “Black Hawk Down II” hit the theaters?
In light of the White House Eye of Sauron now turning towards Yemen, the repeat of that will likely take place in Sanaa.
I bet you enjoyed watching and reading about that event.
No, I did not watch it. I know what happened that caused the revenge. Military stupidity caused the revenge I figured Hollywood would put something out that glorified all things American military, while omitting truth.
Gawd, who don’t they bomb?
The more bombs that are dropped = more profits for the MIC. War is a Racket.
The only military success America is capable of is playing wack-a-mole with aboriginal tribal people.
The US military is not capable of fighting a land war in Europe.
The only military success America is capable of is playing wack-a-mole with aboriginal tribal people.
And the jury is still out on that one.
And you based that on what?
Reality!
Our bombs are so smart. They only kill “a senior al-Shabaab commander.” Even when you’re asleep and never care about Somalia.
Did you notice any collateral damage? …No? Exactly.
Precisely…………
LOLOLOL. I google searched and translated the ” US troops on the ground in Somalia provide training for a special fighting force known as the ‘Danab’ Brigade.” I found out that the Arabic word “Danab” means TAIL in English! We now call our vassals with self-identifying labels, “Our Tail Brigade!”
al-Shabaab pledged loyalty to al-Qaeda after years of fighting the US and its proxies.
Silly al Ahabaab… Don’t they know al-Qaeda is a US proxy!
Kissinger said that to be an ally of America can be fatal.
I can name a dozen countries that would disagree.
Air strikes is how the US wins, what cowards they are. Why is the USA in Somalia?
> oil = In 2020, Norwegian seismic survey company, TGS, estimated that the Somali basin as a whole likely holds offshore reserves of about 30 billion barrels, with additional onshore reserves, although land estimates are considerably less consistent.
> natural gas = Somalia holds 0.20 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proven gas reserves as of 2017, ranking 87th in the world and accounting for about 0.003% of the world’s total natural gas reserves of 6,923 Tcf. Somalia has proven reserves equivalent to inf times its annual consumption.
“Air strikes is how the US wins” Of course, why risk losing troops when a 2000 pound will do the job?
Then have the courage and call it what it is, the slaughter of the unarmed population, GENOCIDE, not a war between military powers. The slaughter of the Palestinian people is a slaughter, GENOCIDE, A WAR CRIME not a war WITH AT LEAST SOME RULES. Soldiers are now nothing but terrorists in uniform and declared legal?
“Soldiers are now nothing but terrorists in uniform and declared legal?”
That’s all they’ve ever been (although I notice you deny it if the “soldiers” are Russian troops or Hamas troops).
Hamas are Palestinian resistance fighters they are fighting for their and their families very personal freedom and human rights, it is not abstract for them, soldiers are being used to protect big corporate wealth and profits. The Israelis are using their soldiers to commit war crimes, turning them into terrorists. It is Biden using Zelensky to massacre the Ukrainians, Russia has offered a negotiated peace many times over and Biden’s neocons say no, we keep fighting until the willing NATO is ready to attack Russia for Biden and the plutocrats, the war profiteers. Europe will come next after Ukraine unless the unexpected happens. We are governed by idiots, we have not one statesman, not one.
Wave that flag some more! Wave the hell out of that pennant! Throw your panties on the stage and scream your love for the gangs of thugs you prefer! Stomp your feet and scream your hate for the gangs of thugs you don’t prefer!
And they’ll all still remain gangs of thugs.
The US creates the problem and then pretend to do everything to solve it and never seems to solve anything but makes the problem worse every time.
The US-backed government claimed the operation killed a senior al-Shabaab commander. US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the accuracy of the government’s report to VOA, a US-state-funded media outlet, although AFRICOM has not announced the strike in a press release.
Now, why should anyone have any doubts?
Guess we’re not out of used ammunition yet, and new ammunition and weapons procurement is always just around the corner….
The Card. Don’t leave Officer Country without it….