During the afternoon of 24 February 2020, the Federal Government of Somalia, in partnership with the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia.
This precision airstrike killed one al-Shabaab militant.
The FGS and US AFRICOM take significant measures to prevent civilian casualties in the fight against the terrorist group and investigate each reported allegation thoroughly. At this time, no civilians are assessed to have been killed or injured in the attack.
This strike is in support of the FGS efforts to rid Somalia of the atrocities of al-Shabaab and provide a better future for the Somali people.
The Federal Government of Somalia, the SNA, Danab, and its United States partners are committed to fighting al-Shabaab terrorists, regardless of gender, in order to prevent the deaths of innocent civilians that include men, women, and children in Somalia and its neighboring countries. The efforts we take to protect and safeguard civilians contrasts with the indiscriminate attacks that al-Shabaab regularly conducts against the civilian populace of Somalia.
This airstrike, conducted in the al-Shabaab stronghold, further demonstrates that al-Shabaab cannot hide. The FGS and their US AFRICOM partners’ resolve to defeat those who terrorize and exploit the people of Somalia.