A number of Al-Shabaab operatives including some mid-level commander are believed to have been killed and compounds destroyed after four drone missiles hit targets in Sakow and Salagle localities of Middle Jubba region of Somalia.
Open sources and local media reported that suspected US drone conducted the air raid on the two Al-Shabaab stronghold towns in Middle Jubba region.
Though the exact number of casualties remains unclear, sources indicate that in one of the targets, there was a meeting that was attended by a number of Al-Shabaab commanders.
AFRICOM has conducted five airstrikes against Al-Shabaab compounds and key leaders in Somalia since Jan. 15. U.S. also withdrew an estimated 700 troops from the war-torn Somalia only maintaining a limited presence in the country. The command has conducted a total of eight airstrikes since the new year began, according to an AFRICOM spokesman as of Jan. 24.
The U.S. has been supporting the weak Somali government forces by training their Special Forces (Danab).
Despite an international effort, Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab still controls large swaths of land in southern and central Somalia which serves as their operational areas.
