“This individual was a key leader in the al-Shabaab organization," Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, the AFRICOM commander said in a news release. “He was violent, ruthless, and responsible for the loss of many innocent lives. His removal makes Somalia and neighboring countries safer.”
The U.S. kicked off 2020 with a bang in Somalia launching nearly 14 airstrikes since the start of the new year putting the U.S. on pace for another record breaking year for airstrikes against militants in the country
Resources for the thinly spread American troops across U.S. Africa Command may be further constrained should the Pentagon decide to curtail the counterterror mission in the region following a defense-wide posture review that is still pending.
“But I had the opportunity to tell, again, to mention again that the U.S. support is critical to our operations and that its reduction would severely limit our effectiveness against terrorists.”
Al-Shabab said in a message that the raid on Manda Bay should “serve as a stern warning” for African forces that “when the situation gets difficult” American troops will “abandon you" just as they did with the Syrian YPG after entangling them in an “unwinnable war.”
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