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U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab over the weekend in Somalia.
The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) launched an airstrike on a location approximately 40 miles northwest of Kismayo, Somalia, where al-Shabab militants were reportedly positioned.
According to a press release from AFRICOM, al-Shabab “has proven both its will and capability to attack U.S. forces.”
“In collaboration with the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali Armed Forces, AFRICOM remains committed to reducing al-Shabab’s capacity to organize and execute attacks posing threats to the U.S. homeland, American military forces, and citizens overseas,” as mentioned in their press release.
The East African nation of Somalia has endured persistent attacks and insurgencies from Islamist terrorist groups, including both ISIS and al-Shabab, for several decades. (AP)
In the letter, Somalia offered “exclusive operational control” over the Berbera and Baledogle air bases and the ports of Berbera and Bosaso to “bolster American engagement in the region.”
One of the ports, Berbera, is in a key city located in Somaliland, whose long assertion as an independent state has not received international recognition.
Somaliland, a former British protectorate, declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after the collapse of the central government. It maintains its own government, security forces and currency and has held elections.
Fox News Digital’s Paul Tilsley and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
