Somalia: 5 shebab killed in an American strike

The US military announced on Thursday that it had killed five Shebab fighters in a strike in a remote region of Somalia. This country is waging a major offensive against this group of radical Islamists affiliated with Al-Qaeda.

The operation conducted Wednesday near Bacadweyne was conducted at the request of the Somali government, said the US military command for Africa in its statement. “According to the first elements, the strike killed five Shebab fighters,” he adds.

In early February, the Heads of State of the Horn of Africa announced their desire to give a "final impetus" to "completely liberate" Somalia from radical Islamists Shebab.

The Somali army and local militias have regained control of parts of the territory in recent months, aided by US and African Union airstrikes.

But the jihadist group, which has been fighting the government since 2007, remains firmly entrenched in large rural areas and carries out deadly attacks in Somalia and neighboring Kenya.