Al-Shabaab claims killing US soldiers in car bomb attack in Somalia

KISMAYO, Somalia - Somalia-based Al-Shabaab militants have claimed an attack that reportedly left over 16 people dead in the latest wave of violence in Somalia, something which could further raise security concerns in the Horn of Africa nation, which is struggling with stability.

For the last nine months, security forces are drawn from the Somali National Army [SNA], the US Africa Command and the African Union Mission in Somalia [AMISOM] have been carrying attacks across the country, targeting Al-Shabaab militants and other armed groups.

And on Monday, Al-Shabaab militants claimed an attack in Janay Abdalle about 50 kilometers West of Kismayo, the interim capital of Jubaland, adding that over 16 people mainly those from the US Army and a number of workers attached to Bancroft Global Development.

In a statement punished in their friendly media outlets, the Al-Shabaab militants claimed that of the 16 people who died, four of them were active servicemen with the US Africa Command. At least 12 other people were wounded in the deadly suicide bomb attack, the statement added.

Per reports, Al-Shabab used a truck bomb to attack the base in the newly liberated area.

The US Africa Command, which has close to 600 servicemen in Somalia, has an outpost at Janay Abdalla in Jubaland, a state which is significantly affected by Al-Shabaab unending wars. The US military is responsible for the training of elite Danab forces from the SNA.

According to the Al-Qaeda linked group, fighting was still ongoing at the time they published the news about the latest incident. Until now, the US military and the Government are yet to publicly issue a statement with regard to Al-Shabaab claims, and the mode of news transmission is Somalia is affected by the poor network.

But reports from a few senior officials who spoke to Voice of America's Harun Maruf indicated that the troops foiled and Al-Shabaab VBIED attack. These reports cannot be independently verified by the Garowe Online at the time of publishing the story.

The Al-Shabaab militants are notorious in targeting military bases and outposts within Somalia, and through such attacks, they have killed quite a number of people. In January, they raided the Manda Airfield in Kenya, in an attack that left three Americans dead, further forcing the US to change strategy in the fight against the militants.

The DoD team recently noted that the pace of airstrikes in Somalia significantly reduced in the 2nd quarter of 2020 with the US Africa Command launching only 7 airstrikes as opposed to 33 from January to March 2020. So far, the team has launched 46 airstrikes this year in Somalia, the highest, however, within the same period.

But there have been cases of civilian deaths and the Command identified two this year following mounting criticism from members of civil society. The Command has since launched Casualty Reports on civilians which was unveiled by General Stephen Townsend, the commander of AFRICOM.

Recently, Col. Chris Karns, who is the head of publicity in the US Africa Command, noted that Al-Shabaab remains a threat to Somalia's quest for peace and stability in a statement released last week. He accused the group of deliberately arming civilians.

"Al-Shabaab is a dangerous enemy that presents a threat to Somalia, its neighbors, and the United States. This Al-Qaeda aligned terrorist organization increasingly employs lies, engages in criminal acts, and blends into communities to create fear and intimidate local populations," he noted.

"They have engaged in a series of violent acts with no regard for the Laws of Armed Conflict, to include previously attacking a hospital and deliberately seeking to place civilians in harm’s way using protected structures, such as mosques, for military and offensive fighting purposes."

GAROWE ONLINE