American forces conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants in Somalia early Sunday morning for the first time since President Trump increased the U.S. presence in the east African nation earlier this year.
Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said in a statement the airstrike took place 185 miles southwest of Mogadishu.
“The U.S. conducted this operation in coordination with its regional partners as a direct response to al-Shabaab actions, including recent attacks on Somali forces,” White said.
There were no details on the effects of the strike or what the target of the strike was beyond al-Shabaab in general.
It’s the first strike carried out under authority Trump granted in March to increase activity against al-Shabaab in Somalia. Trump ordered more troops to the country for the first time since the mid-1990s, when military operations in Somalia resulted in the attack that killed multiple U.S. Marines that resulted in the film “Black Hawk Down.”
”We remain committed to working with our Somali partners and allies to systematically dismantle al-Shabaab, and help achieve stability and security throughout the region,” White said.
