Monday June 19, 2023
MOGADISHU (HOL) — The Somali
government has reported on Monday that a preemptive airstrike targeting a group
of 43 Al-Shabaab militants has been conducted in the vicinity of Jamame, a
major Al-Shabab stronghold in the Lower Juba region.
The government claims that the
primary targets of the airstrike were Aden
Abdirahman Adan and his deputy, Idris Abdirahim Noor, both foreign jihadists
from Kenya who were reportedly in charge of orchestrating an alleged major
attack plan.
No further details about the
fate of the targeted militants has been provided by the government. However it said
that the airstrike resulted in casualties and injuries.
Hiiraan Online cannot independently
verify the government’s claims regarding the airstrike.
The United States military
command in Africa, AFRICOM, which often carries out airstrikes in support of
the Somali government and allied forces against militants, has not yet
commented on the purported airstrike.
However, according to the Somali
government’s statement, the preemptive strike was conducted to disrupt an
Al-Shabaab meeting that was being held in a village, located approximately 14
kilometers away from the Jamame district in the Lower Jubba region.
The gathering had been
convened to plan and coordinate an Imminent attack on military bases of the
government and Jubbaland forces in Bar Sanguni, Lower Jubba region, it said.
As of now, Al-Shabaab is yet to
issue any statement regarding the the airstrike reports.