A combined airstrike by Somali and US forces has killed 12 militants, including several senior leaders, in a targeted strike on Al-Shabaab positions in central Somalia. The air raid took place in Adan Yabaal, a strategic town located 220 kilometers (140 miles) north of Mogadishu, which had recently been under attack by the Al-Shabaab group.
According to a statement from the Somali Information Ministry, the strike was conducted late on Wednesday night, targeting a site used by Al-Shabaab militants as a meeting and hiding spot. The operation was carried out jointly by Somali armed forces and the US Africa Command, aimed at neutralizing the growing threat posed by the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group.
The strike comes amid a series of escalating attacks by Al-Shabaab, including a high-profile assault on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s convoy, raising concerns over a potential resurgence of jihadist forces in the region. Somali forces had previously reclaimed control of Adan Yabaal from Al-Shabaab in December 2022, during a major offensive supported by African Union peacekeepers.
The Somali government’s statement confirmed that 12 operatives, including some key leaders, were killed in the strike. The ongoing military efforts are seen as crucial in the fight to prevent Al-Shabaab from regaining territory in the Horn of Africa.