WASHINGTON: The US military held air strikes in Somalia on Friday against al-Shabaab al-Shabaab jihadists who were affiliated, the second in four days after a six-month hiatus, said Pentagon.
The US Military Command for Africa (Africa), “carried out air strikes against Al-Shabaab around Qeycad” in Galmudian Province 300 miles (500 kilometers) north of the capital Mogadishu, a Pentagon spokesman, Cindi Raja told AFP.
The strike was carried out by a drone and no US troops on the ground, said the king, added that no further details could be provided.
The strike was the second carried out by the US military in Somalia in the week, and only the second under US President Joe Biden, who served in January this year.
On Tuesday, Africom targets Al-Shabaab Jihadis near Galkayo, northwest of Qeycad.
As soon as Biden arrived at the White House, he limited the use of drones to jihadist groups outside the US War Theater.
It reversed the policy of its predecessor Donald Trump, who has given Blanche Carte military in countries such as Somalia and Libya.
The King noted “US forces were authorized to strike to support the commander’s partner forces appointed by fighters under the AUMF 2001,” referring to authorization for the use of military power, whose authorities of the US president relied on the operation of armed Islamic groups.
Last month, the US House of Representatives chose to revoke the size of the use of the 2002 power that gave the US military to legal authority to attack Iraq and has since been used to justify military actions against groups related to Al Qaeda and Taliban in Afghanistan.
Supporters to revoke the 2002 AUMF argued that he had long surpassed his goal and that the Congress had to reclaim the power of making his war.
No selected officials indicated that there was a plan immediately to reverse the size of 2001.
Department spokesman John Kirby said last week that African Commander General Stephen Townsend had “the authority to act to defend our troops and our Somali partners.” The recent strike “underlined the threat that Al Shabaab posed in Somalia, and of course African horns,” said Kirby.
“The threat remains significant, and we will continue to be alert about it.” Strike Drones have multiplied during Trump’s term, ranging from 11 in Somalia in 2015, to 64 in 2019 and 54 in 2020, according to the non-government group Airwars, which monitored civil death in bombings throughout the world.
Just before he left the office, Trump ordered withdrawal of around 700 special forces soldiers deployed in Somalia to train and suggest the Somali army.