The U.S. military executed three airstrikes on July 8 and 9 in Somalia, killing 10 al-Shabab fighters, a terrorist group that has pledged allegiance to al-Qaida. The strikes came at a time when the Somali government’s offensive against the group has been losing momentum, and African Union troops are planning to withdraw next year.
  

Key Points: 

1. The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) carried out the airstrikes in support of Somali National Army forces engaged in combat with al-Shabab fighters in Afmadow, 293 miles south of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.
2. Al-Shabab has emerged as al-Qaida’s largest, wealthiest, and deadliest offshoot, taking advantage of instability in Somalia. The group has also attacked U.S. troops and civilians in East Africa, and aspires to target the West.
3. U.S troops have been involved in the fight against al-Shabaab since 2007. Although most American service members left Somalia at the end of 2020, President Joe Biden approved a request to send several hundred troops back to Somalia in May 2022.
4. The Somali government launched an offensive against al-Shabab last September, which initially cleared the group out of central parts of the country, but al-Shabab has since managed to regroup and retaliate.
5. The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) is scheduled to end by late 2024, with a significant number of troops expected to withdraw in September. The anticipated withdrawal, coupled with political infighting among Somali government officials, has allowed al-Shabab more targets of opportunity.

Source: https://taskandpurpose.com/news/us-airstrikes-somalia-al-shabab-fighters-killed/