Somalia says 70 Al-Shabaab recruits killed in US strike

[Deeq A.]

MOGADISHU (Caasimada Online)—Somalia says 70 Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab recruits were killed on Friday’s largest U.S. military airstrike near Harardhere town in central Somalia’s Mudug region.

The strike hit a training camp in the town, killing 70 militants, including senior Al-Shabaab commanders, according to a statement obtained by Caasimada Online.

The statement said the group’s fighters were being prepared to carry out suicide bombings on Somali and African Union bases while others were foot soldiers meant for complex attacks across central and southern Somalia.

The latest airstrike was carried out on Friday near Harardhere town, killing 60 militants, according to the U.S. Africa Command.

The Commando said, according to its assessment no civilians were injured or killed.

The strike becomes such U.S. deadliest strike since one on Nov. 21, 2017, killed about 100 Al-Shabab fighters.

The U.S. military has carried out at least 27 airstrikes, including drone strikes, this year against the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab that killed 160 Islamist fighters in Somalia.

U.S. military says it killed four al Qaeda linked al-Shabab militants on Oct 14 in drone airstrike in southern Somalia.

The Al-Qaeda linked Shabaab was pushed out of the Somali capital in 2011 — and subsequently other towns and cities — by soldiers from the African Union Mission in Somalia.

Caasimada Online

Mogadishu News Desk

Caasimada@live.com