US AFRICOM has released a statement claiming responsibility for a drone strike in war torn Somalia. According to AFRICOM, the US predator drones carried out a series of strikes targeting the Al Shabaab controlled town of Jilib, situated in the Middle Jubba province.
The Americans claimed one Al Shabaab militant was killed in the drone strike and no civilian casualties occurred. It’s still not independently confirmed weather the victims of the latest drone strikes where civilians or combatants.
The pro militant website dubbed Somali Memo released a contradicting statement that might even debunk the claims made by US AFRICOM.
According to the Al Shabaab mouthpiece dubbed Somali Memo, two civilians where wounded in the drone strike which include a young child.
No one can confirm the contradicting statements being published by both AFRICOM and Al Shabaab due to the fact that it’s impossible for local journalists or aid agencies to access Al Shabaab controlled territory in order to asses the casualties.
The town of Jilib remains the de facto capital of Al Shabaab and a stronghold of the armed group for more than a decade. Henceforth the uptick in US drone strikes targeting the town.
The US has dramatically increased drone strikes in Somalia since the Trump administration seized power. With the Trump administration carrying out more drone strikes in Somalia within the past 3 years compared to all previous US presidents combined.
Amnesty International published a damming report in 2019 implicating the US for committing war crimes in Somalia as a result of its murderous drone program.
Halgan Media Service Desk
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