President Trump has given U.S. commanders expanded authority to conduct airstrikes in Somalia against the al-Shabaab terrorist group, an affiliate of al Qaeda, Pentagon officials said Tuesday.
The U.S. has already been conducting drone strikes against the group in support of the Somali government and the African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM.
But those strikes were often limited to defensive strikes to protect Somali and AMISOM forces on the ground.
The new authority frees up U.S. commanders to conduct offensive strikes against al-Shabaab, and is part of an effort to speed up the defeat of the terrorist group.
“The additional support provided by this authority will help deny al-Shabaab safe havens from which it could attack U.S. citizens or U.S. interests in the region,” said Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman.
“Somali and AMISOM forces have already achieved significant success in recapturing territory from al-Shabaab,” Davis said, “and additional U.S. support will help them increase pressure on al-Shabaab and reduce the risk to our partner forces when they conduct operations.”
