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Photo by: U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs 

To support the Federal Government of Somalia's continued efforts to degrade al-Shabaab, U.S. forces conducted two (2) airstrikes targeting al-Shabaab militants in the vicinity of Baqdaad, Somalia, on Jan. 7, 2019. 

The airstrikes were conducted in collective self-defense of our Somali partners after they were engaged by al-Shabaab militants.  

We currently assess the airstrikes killed four (4) militants.   

At this time we assess no civilians were injured or killed in these airstrikes.

Alongside our Somali and international partners, we are committed to preventing al-Shabaab from taking advantage of safe havens from which they can build capacity and attack the people of Somalia.  In particular, the group uses portions of southern and central Somalia to plot and direct terror attacks, steal humanitarian aid, extort the local populace to fund its operations, and shelter radical terrorists.

U.S. Africa Command will continue to work with its partners to transfer the responsibility for long-term security in Somalia from AMISOM to the Federal Government of Somalia and its Member States, and U.S. forces will use all effective and appropriate methods to protect the Somali people, including partnered military counter-terror operations with the Federal Government of Somalia, AMISOM and Somali National Army forces.