Unidentified military aircraft carried out a series of strikes targeting the Al Shabaab controlled town of Bu’aale in the Middle Jubba province.
Abdi Hussein Sheikh from the ministry of information for Somalia’s autonomous Jubaland regional state confirmed the strikes while speaking to the local press in the coastal city of Kismaayo.
According to the regional official, troops from the autonomous Jubaland regional state backed by allied foreign forces carried out operations targeting the Militant group Al Shabaab, in the run up to the air raid targeting the district of Bu’aale.
Abdi Hussein did not reveal which partner forces carried out the air raid but was adamant on scores of Al Shabaab fighters being killed during the aerial bombardment. It’s not clear who the targets of these strikes where but the Middle Jubba province remains a militant stronghold and Al Shabaab’s de facto capital.
Both AFRICOM and to a lesser extent, the Kenyan Defense Force (KDF) carry out air raids in the area on the pretext of targeting insurgents and have been doing so for a number of years.
Since the 20th of August the US has carried out numerous aerial bombardments in Somalia with what are believed to be unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as drones. If confirmed, today’s alleged strike in Bu’aale will make it officially the fourth US drone strikes in Somalia within the past 8 days alone.
Halgan Media Service Desk.
