US Africa Command conducts airstrike in Somalia to 'avert' imminent threat

The United States Africa Command has confirmed conducting an airstrike against an Al-Shabaab vehicle borne improvised explosive device in the early morning hours of Dec 12.

The strike that was reportedly done in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia happened approximately 65 kilometers Southwest of the capital, Mogadishu.

In its statement confirming the strike, the US Africa Command says ‘we assess no civilians were killed in the strike’ and that the ‘strike supports our partner forces by removing an imminent threat to the people of Mogadishu’.

‘U.S. forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect U.S. citizens and to disable terrorist threats…’, reads the statement.

The United States Africa Command is the U.S. Defense Department’s geographic combatant responsible for military relations with African nations, the African Union, and African regional security organizations.

Mogadishu was in October hit by twin bomb blasts that claimed over 500 lives, the deadliest since Islamist militant group Al Shabaab began an insurgency in 2007.

Al Shabaab stages regular attacks in the capital and other parts of the country. Although the group says it targets the government and security forces, it has detonated large bombs in crowded public areas before.