MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced on Sunday that an airstrike near El Baraf town in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region killed several Al-Shabaab militants and destroyed a vehicle used by the group.
The operation was conducted at the request of the Somali federal government.
“Initial assessments indicate that several terrorists and a vehicle were neutralized, with no civilian casualties reported,” AFRICOM stated.
The airstrike, described by the U.S. military as an act of “self-defense,” followed an unsuccessful attempt by U.S.-trained Danab Somali special forces to retake El Baraf from militants who have controlled the town for over a week.
Al-Shabaab-affiliated media claimed that American officers accompanied Somali forces during the attack, which was launched from at least three directions. However, these reports remain unverified.
In recent weeks, Al-Shabaab has intensified a renewed counter-offensive. On Saturday, the group captured the town of Biyo Adde, located approximately 36 kilometers from Hirshabelle’s administrative capital, Jowhar. The group had not controlled Biyo Adde for over a decade prior to its recent seizure.
This marks the second U.S. airstrike in the Middle Shabelle region within a week, as efforts continue to curb Al-Shabaab’s unchecked advance. The militant group’s resurgence has raised concerns about reversing gains made during a nearly three-year government offensive in central Somalia.
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