“On July 2, at approximately 7:30 am Eastern Daylight Time, US forces conducted a kinetic strike operation against al-Shabab, an Al Qaeda associated terrorist group. We are currently assessing the results of the operation, and will provide additional information as appropriate,” the Pentagon said.

© U.S. AIR FORCE

“US forces remain committed to supporting the Federal Government of Somalia, the Somali National Army and our AMISOM partners in defeating al-Shabab and establishing a safe and secure environment in Somalia

A small US force in Somalia was granted the authority to conduct offensive air strikes against the terrorist group in March, as part of a strategy to support the African Union mission (AMISOM) propping up the government in Mogadishu.

The terrorist group is aligned with Al-Qaeda and seeks to establish Islamic Law. It threatens the government of president Mohamed Abdullahi “Farmajo” Mohamed, a US citizen who took office in February. Al-Shabaab was forced out of Mogadishu in 2011, but still controls large amounts of territory in central and southern Somalia. The US has been fighting the group since 2007.

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The first airstrike under the expanded authority was on June 11, and killed eight Al-Shabaab militants, according to the US military.

A small number of US ground troops was deployed to the country earlier this year, for the first time since 1994. In May, a US Navy SEAL was killed during a joint operation with Somali government forces against Al-Shabaab.

African Union troops are supposed to begin withdrawing from Somalia next year. The country is presently also afflicted by famine, which threatens about six million people.

Source:rt.com