Al-Shabaab terrorist group in Somalia poses increasing threat

With concerns that al-Shabab is a growing threat to the U.S. and its interests, U.S. Africa Command is increasing the pace of strikes in Somalia.

There have been 26 strikes in Somalia so far this year. Navy Lt. Christina Gibson, a spokeswoman for AFRICOM, told Military Times that the current pace of strikes “lightly exceeds last year’s pace.”

Between January and March of 2019 AFRICOM carried out 28 strikes.

On Tuesday, Army Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, the commander of U.S. Africa Command, told Voice of America reporter Carla Babb that the Shabab threat has increased.

“I would say that the threat is higher, has been higher in the last few months than it was eight months ago when I first got to AFRICOM. That’s exactly why you’ve seen this increase in strike activity,” Townsend told VOA.

American warplanes are pummeling al-Shabab following a brazen raid on the Manda Bay, Kenya, airfield in January and an attack on the Baledogle air base in Somalia, which houses American commandos.

Three Americans were killed in the Manda Bay attack including a U.S. soldier. Marine Raiders whisked to the airfield beat back the attackers in an intense gun battle. The Pentagon has since decided to beef up security around the base.

Over the last several years the U.S. has steadily increased its air campaign targeting Shabab — suggesting the group is on the rise and worrying military commanders the Islamic militants may pose a significant threat outside of Somalia and the Horn of Africa.

Source: Military Times