US drone strike kills 200 militants, top Shabaab officials: Somali govt
Sunday March 13 2022
An undated photo of a drone firing a missile. US drone strike kills Shabaab militants in Somalia. PHOTO | FILE | NMG
More than 200 Shabaab militants, including several top officials, have been killed at their base in Central Somalia in targeted US drone strikes, the federal government announced on Sunday.
The official Somali government statement indicated that the airstrikes targeted a settlement known as Hareri Gubadle, near Wabho Township in Galgaduud region, about 300km north of the capital Mogadishu.
It was also indicated that the attacked Al-Shabaab base is situated 20km east of Wabho Township.
The raid was a joint collaboration between the Somali National Army and the US military operation.
“More than 200 Al-Shabaab militants and officials have been killed by the airstrikes,” it said without naming the fatalities or their ranks within the jihadist group.
It also did not mention the exact date of the attack.
So far, the Al-Qaeda-linked group has not released any response to the alleged assault.
This operation comes at a time US military advisors proposed to President Joe Biden to restore some troops in Somalia to improve training and coordination with Somalia security forces.
The Somali government said that it is gathering intelligence on the deadly incident.