The United States Army announced this Tuesday the execution of a new airstrike against alleged positions of Al Shabaab, an armed group linked to the terrorist organization Al Qaeda, in the area near an airport located in southern Somalia, close to the border with Kenya.
According to details provided by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) in an official statement, the operation took place on October 17 "in coordination" with the Government of Somalia in the surroundings of the Dhobley airport, about 180 kilometers northwest of Kismayo.
"AFRICOM, along with the Government of Somalia and the Somali Armed Forces, continues to take measures to reduce Al Shabaab's ability to threaten U.S. forces and our citizens abroad," the U.S. command indicated, while Mogadishu has not yet made public comments on this bombing.
The statement also adds that "specific details about the units and assets (involved in the attack) will not be published to ensure continued operational security," so for the moment no information has been provided about possible fatalities nor is there knowledge of the casualty balance, and Al Shabaab has not issued an official reaction either.
At the beginning of July, the President of Somalia, Hasán Sheij Mohamud, stated that the Army will launch "a final offensive" to defeat Al Shabaab, emphasizing that the authorities are already working on these preparations, while in recent weeks there has been an increase in confirmed attacks by U.S. forces against the group in Somali territory.