US Military Carries Out Airstrikes In Somalia, Africa
By Donald Standeford, Correspondent - Follow -
Date Published: July 21st, 2021 04:30AM UTC
Last Modified: July 21st, 2021 04:30AM UTC
SOMALIA - The Pentagon announced on Tuesday that The U.S. military carried out airstrikes in Somalia, Africa against al-Shabaab terrorists, which have ties to Al Qaeda. U.S. troops were not located in Somalia at the time of the airstrike.
Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia King stated, "The Department of Defense can confirm that in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command forces conducted one airstrike against al-Shabaab in the vicinity of Galkayo, Somalia, today, There were no U.S. forces accompanying Somali forces during this operation. U.S. forces were conducting a remote advise and assist mission in support of designated Somali partner forces".
It is not known which country US troops were operating within during the airstrike, and which type of aircraft used to carry out the airstrikes has not currently been released to the public.
Cynthia King continued, "The target was the al-Shabaab terrorists who were attacking Somali military forces,” she said. “The battle damage assessment is still pending, but the command’s initial assessment is that no civilians were injured or killed as a result of this strike".
The last airstrike on Somalia before this one was carried out on January 19th, 2021. The Al Qaeda linked al Shabaab is attempting to take down the government in Somalia in order to rule it themselves under strict Islamic sharia law.
"This airstrike was to support the Somali National Army. U.S. forces were conducting a remote advise and assist mission in support of designated Somali partner forces. USAFRICOM [Africa Command] has the authority to conduct strikes in support of combatant commander designated partner forces under collective self-defense. (UN Charter, article 51)".
