US airstrikes coordinated with Somali government target extremist positions

The latest in a series of US airstrikes targeting al-Shabaab positions across Somalia on May 24 hit militant locations around 40km northwest of Kismayo, according to US Africa Command (AFRICOM).

Two earlier strikes targeted positions 43km northwest of Kismayo on May 21, with another hitting areas about 200km north of Mogadishu near Mabaax.

AFRICOM said it continues to work with the Somali government and armed forces "to take action to degrade al-Shabaab’s ability to plan and conduct attacks."

The sustained air campaign has significantly diminished al-Shabaab's operational capacity and freedom of movement in Somalia, where the group had flourished amid years of instability, Kabul-based military analyst Ainuddin Kakar said.

"Al-Shabaab is a powerful arm of al-Qaeda in East Africa," he told Salaam Times. "Suppressing and weakening this group directly impacts al-Qaeda’s capabilities across the continent."

"US military support for Somali security forces against al-Shabaab will lead to the liberation of areas under the control of this terrorist group and ultimately to al-Qaeda’s defeat in the country," he added.

"Somalia has suffered for decades from al-Shabaab’s terrorist activities, and US support is a source of inspiration for the nation."

Message to terror networks

The US airstrikes serve as tactical support for Somali forces and send a broader strategic message to terrorist networks in Africa that they can no longer operate with impunity, analysts told Salaam Times.

"If these airstrikes continue, al-Shabaab’s area of operation in various parts of Somalia will shrink, and many of its fighters will either flee out of fear or abandon their activities," Herat-based political analyst Wakil Ahmad Wafa said.

"In the long run, this will reduce the group’s overall combat strength," he said.

"Crushing al-Shabaab will not only bring stability and security to Somalia but also will contribute to peace in neighboring countries," he added.

"Nations like Kenya and Ethiopia have suffered for years from al-Shabaab attacks and have experienced widespread instability and insecurity."

The US air campaign has created new opportunities for Somali security forces to advance against al-Shabaab, said Kabul-based political analyst Farhad Ehsas.

"Al-Shabaab is the largest and most active al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group in East Africa. In recent years, the scope of the group’s activities has expanded beyond Somalia and into neighboring countries," he told Salaam Times.

"US cooperation with the Somali army and the anti-al-Shabaab coalition is severely weakening the group," he said.

"Continuous airstrikes targeting key individuals, infrastructure and weapons depots will lead to the group’s destruction."