Somali special forces backed by US troops raided al-Shabaab base near Jilib over the weekend. At least 16 al Shabaab militants were killed in the raid that saw a bomb factory and living quarters of the militants destroyed.
According to Somali military officials, the joint troops backed by airpower raided an explosive assembling center near Jilib in Lower Juba region before launching another attack on-base housing al-Shabaab Amniyat elite unit commander, Khalid Abukar Hussein.
Elsewhere, sixteen al Shabaab fighters were also killed following a firefight in Buale on Saturday night bringing the number of fighters killed during operations conducted in Lower Juba province.
In recent past, the US has backed Somali National troops in covert raids against the al Shabaab as well as aerial bombardments of enemy positions geared at degrading al Shabaab and its assets in Somalia.
