MOGADISHU, Somalia — U.S. Africa Command says it has carried out 23 airstrikes in Somalia so far this year targeting Al-Shabaab and ISIS, underscoring a stepped-up counterterrorism tempo that U.S. officials say is coordinated with partners across the continent.
AFRICOM spokesperson Maj. Mahalia Frost said Wednesday the increase is part of a broader U.S. effort against ISIS in Africa, noting recent American strikes in Nigeria. She said instability in Somalia and Nigeria is intertwined, arguing that regional cooperation and intelligence sharing are essential to disrupt extremist networks that span borders.
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Lt. Gen. John Brennan, AFRICOM’s deputy commander, said the command works closely with partner nations to counter the threat directly, supporting local forces with military assistance, intelligence and equipment. He described the approach as a partnership model designed to enable African-led operations against militant groups.
In Somalia, the pace of U.S. strikes has ebbed and flowed over the past decade, but surged in recent years as Washington increased the use of air power against Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaida affiliate, and the smaller ISIS faction operating in the country. The Trump administration authorized 219 air and ground operations over four years, a level of activity that Somali and U.S. officials credited with pressuring militant leadership and curbing their freedom of movement.
Somali authorities said earlier this month that a senior Al-Shabaab figure was killed in a joint operation, part of an ongoing campaign that blends Somali ground offensives with targeted U.S. strikes. Officials did not immediately provide further details on the commander’s identity or the location of the operation.
AFRICOM framed the latest Somalia strikes as one front in a wider counterterrorism push that includes West Africa, where ISIS- and al-Qaida-aligned groups have exploited weak governance and porous borders. U.S. officials say information flows between extremist cells and facilitators across regions, and that degrading one node can ripple across networks — a rationale for synchronizing pressure in Somalia and Nigeria alongside support to African partners.
The United States has been involved in Somalia for years, conducting strikes since the mid-2000s following the rise of Al-Shabaab and backing Somali security forces with training and equipment. While Washington rarely discloses details about individual strikes, officials say operations are calibrated to target leadership, weapons and staging areas used to plan or execute attacks.
AFRICOM did not immediately release further specifics on the timing or locations of the 23 strikes or assessments of their impact. The command typically issues updates once initial reviews are complete and coordinates public statements with Somali authorities.
Wednesday’s announcement underscores the enduring U.S. role in Somalia’s security landscape and the renewed emphasis on interlinked threats spanning East and West Africa — a strategy that U.S. officials say hinges on deeper partnerships, faster intelligence sharing and coordinated campaigns to deny militants sanctuary.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
