US airstrike kills 20 al-Shabaab militants in Somalia

By Umar Farooq</p> <p>WASHINGTON (AA) – American forces conducted its second airstrike in a week in the Hiran province of Somalia, killing 20 al-Shabaab militants, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said Tuesday.</p> <p>The strike targeted a location Monday which AFRICOM said was an al-Shabaab training camp and had been used to facilitate attacks in Beledweyne. </p> <p>U.S. forces have been conducting strikes in Somalia as part of a strategy to help the Somali National Army reduce the strength of al-Shabaab in the region.</p> <p>AFRICOM said no civilians were injured in the tactical bombing.</p> <p>&quot;We are committed to supporting our Somali partners in our shared goal of diminishing al-Shabaab's networks and disrupting its operations,&quot; AFRICOM's deputy director of intelligence Gen. Gregory Hadfield said in a statement. &quot;This precision airstrike successfully targeted an encampment from which al-Shabaab could stage, coordinate, and execute attacks on Beledweyne.&quot;</p> <p>The strike comes one day after another airstrike killed 35 militants 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of Beledweyne.</p> <p>Last month, a U.S. airstrike killed at least 24 fighters in the Shebeeley village of the central Hiran region. A few days later another strike in the Lower Shabelle region killed 13 fighters, according to AFRICOM.</p> <p>&quot;U.S. forces will use all effective and appropriate methods to assist in the protection of the Somali people, including partnered military counter-terror operations with the Federal Government of Somalia, AMISOM and Somali National Army forces,&quot; the statement added.</p> <p>*Kasim Ileri contributed to this report

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