MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – US military has announced that it will no longer announce casualties of its airstrikes in Somalia.
In the latest release announcing two airstrikes targeting Al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia, on Jan. 23, 2019, U.S. Africa Command has not detailed deaths and damage caused by the bombardment.
A spokesman of U.S. Africa Command says those details are now up to Somalia’s government to share. The spokesman later said one extremist was killed.
“We no longer discuss battle damage assessments resulting from our airstrikes,” said Maj. Karl Wiest, a spokesman for the U.S. Africa Command.
The U.S. says the latest airstrikes occurred Wednesday near Jilib in Middle Juba region, where Saturday’s strike occurred.
The United States has dramatically stepped up airstrikes against Al-Shabab in Somalia since President Donald Trump took office, carrying out at least 47 last year to diminish the Islamic extremist group’s “safe havens.”
Wiest said in a follow-up email that the U.S. prioritizes the success of the strike than its casualties on the enemy.
“While enemy casualties are an expected outcome of strike operations, the resulting number of EKIA [Enemy Killed in Action] is much less important to understand than how these strikes are helping our Somali partners achieve their strategic security objectives,” Wiest noted.
The development comes five days after the U.S. military announced its deadliest airstrike in Somalia in months which over 50 Al-Shabaab fighters killed after a “large group” attacked Somali forces.
Discussion about this post