The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) forces struck Al-Shabaab with two airstrikes this week ahead of the planned exit from Somalia.
On Thursday, December 10, AFRICOM confirmed that it rocked Al-Shabaab militants in Jilib, Lower Juba with a couple of airstrikes.
In its statement, AFRICOM said, “several extremists were killed in the incident.”
Furthermore, the statement clarified that those killed had played critical roles in producing explosives for the Al-Qaeda linked group.
The strikes took place a few weeks after President Donald Trump promised to withdraw US troops from Somalia in January 2021.
AFRICOM said that those killed in the recent airstrikes had carried out around 45 vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) attacks in Somalia.
According to AFRICOM, those VBIEDs collectively caused the deaths of more than 400 security officers, government officials, and civilians.