U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has announced that an April 2nd airstrike killed a high-ranking member of the Al Qaeda affiliated in Somalia, Harakat al Shabaab al Mujahideen (HSM). The high-ranking terrorists has since been identified as Yusuf Jiis a terrorist has been pivotal in organizing and orchestrating various deadly attack in the East African region.
The strike took place near the Somalian city of Bush Madina, approximately 135 miles west of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu. Jiis has been identified as one of the most ruthless and violent commanders within the ranks of al Shabaab and his elimination is a great win to the greater war against HSM and al Qaeda in the Horn of Africa region.
Additionally, U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, the AFRICOM commander expressed caution because of an impending pause on operations against HSM due to the Coronavirus. In recent weeks leaders of global terror organizations such as al Qaeda and ISIS have encouraged their cohorts and soldiers to take advantage of the current health crisis to further the agenda of the groups in their respective jurisdictions.
