A U.S. airstrike on Sunday killed more than a dozen members of the al Shabab Islamist terror group in what is believed to be the second-such mission launched in a week to support the government of Somalia.
Bloomberg reported the strike, which took place in central Somalia and killed 13 terrorists, citing state-owned TV reports. U.S. officials have yet to confirm the latest operation.
On Aug. 9, U.S. Africa Command ordered three air missions against al Shabab terrorists who were attacking Somali National Army forces near Beledweyne.
“The command’s initial assessment is that the strikes killed four al-Shabab terrorists and that no civilians were injured or killed,” Africa Command officials later said in a statement. “U.S. forces are authorized to conduct strikes in defense of designated partner forces.”
President Biden has ramped up military operations in Somalia after former President Donald Trump pushed for a U.S. withdrawal from the region.
The latest strike comes after Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley took over as the senior military commander in Africa. He is the first African-American to be promoted to four-star general in the Corps.