Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM target al-Shabaab

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In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab terrorists in the vicinity of Bush Madina, Somalia, and April 3.

“Al-Shabaab’s goals, rhetoric, and its over-reliance on both coercion and violence mirror al-Qaida,” said U.S. Marine Corps Bradford J. Gering, deputy director of operations, U.S. Africa Command. “It’s our command’s responsibility to support our partners so this terrorist group can’t expand and strike the U.S. homeland as its leaders desire to do.”

The command’s initial assessment concluded this airstrike killed five (5) terrorists.

We currently assess no civilians were injured or killed as a result of this airstrike.

U.S. Africa Command and our international partners recognize that stability in Somalia will not be achieved through purely military means. It requires providing programs and opportunity for the Somali people.

In support of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces will use all effective and appropriate methods to assist in the protection of the Somali people, including partnered military counterterrorism operations with the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali National Army forces. Together with the partner and allied forces, U.S. Africa Command works on a daily basis to improve security conditions to enhance governance and economic development.

U.S. Africa Command continues to work with its Somali partners to transfer the responsibility for long-term security in Somalia to the Federal Government of Somalia and its Member States.