Somali Islamist faction al-Shabaab confirmed US claims of a series of drone strikes against one of their training camps, but insisted US claims of “over 150” militants killed was far overstated, and simply “American propaganda.”
The Shabaab spokesman insisted that the group never has that many fighters concentrated into a single spot because of the threat of imminent attacks like the one the US launched over the weekend.
Witnesses confirmed that there were major explosions and a lot of fire, but were unable to confirm or deny the death toll. Somali commanders claimed that over 200 fighters were certainly killed in the incident, but didn’t provide any evidence for that.
The Pentagon claimed the attack on the base was “defensive in nature,” and that they believe the militants were an imminent threat against US troops, though they did not say where those US troops actually were.
US drones launched a massive attack against an al-Shabaab training camp 120 miles north of the Somali capital city of Mogadishu, according to the Pentagon. Spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis claims over 150 militants were slain in the attack.
Officials say that they were watching the camp “for several weeks” prior to the attack, and the Pentagon claimed they posed “an imminent threat to US forces.” It’s not clear where those US forces are that were at risk.
The attack reported took place on Saturday, and US officials are insisting that there are no indications of any civilian casualties. This is a common claim after US strikes, though time and again civilian tolls start cropping up in the days that follow.
The Australian government also reported having seized a shipload of weapons that were on a fishing boat near Oman, claiming that they believe the weapons were heading for Somalia. This is adding to talk that al-Shabaab is on the rise as a regional force.
The Pentagon has issued a statement confirming a US military airstrike against Saakow, Somalia today, with an eye toward killing an unnamed senior leader in al-Shabaab.
US airstrikes against Somalia happen every few months, usually aimed at an al-Shabaab leader of some sort, though only once in awhile, as with the September 1 strike, do they actually hit their intended target.
Such killings rarely have a tangible impact on the situation in Somalia at any rate, as al-Shabaab seems able to replace even its top leadership without serious harm coming to their overall operations.
The Shabaab spokesman insisted that the group never has that many fighters concentrated into a single spot because of the threat of imminent attacks like the one the US launched over the weekend.
