U.S. Military Operations in Somalia (mid-2013-2014)
November 1, 2014
Obama declared the war on terror over in May, 2013. That’s the starting point for this summary of U.S. military operations in Somalia. The quotes are drawn from Wikipedia timelines. Obama has re-introduced ground forces in Somalia. Drone strikes continue.
5/27/13 “A US drone flying a routine surveillance mission along the coast of Somalia crashes in a remote area near Bulo Marer (a coastal town in the southwestern Lower Shebelle region). The Pentagon confirmed the loss of the Schiebel Camcopter S-100 small UAV, after Al-Shabaab published photos of the wreckage. Sources consider it ‘quite likely’ the drone was flying an espionage mission for the CIA.”
5/29/13 “An investigation by German TV channel ARD’s ‘Panorama’ and the Süddeutsche Zeitung reveals that since 2011, the Stuttgart-based US military High Command for Africa (Africom) and the US Air Force’s Air Operations Center (AOC), located in Ramstein (Germany) have been guiding the targeted killing of presumed terrorists in Somalia by US Air Force drones. German officials, however, denied knowledge of such operations.”
10/28/14 “A drone strike by the US Joint Special Operations Command on a vehicle near the town of Jilib in Lower Shabelle kills two senior Somali members of Al-Shabaab: Warsame Balle and Ibrahim Ali Abdi…Analysts suggest that the strike may have originated from the Chabelley Airfield, a rarely used airstrip in the desert of Djibouti [a separate country] recently adapted by the United States to enable temporary operations with armed and reconnaissance drones.”
1/10/14 “Col. Tom Davis, a spokesman for the United States Africa Command, announces that the U.S. has established a military coordination cell in Mogadishu.” This was the first such deployment since Blackhawk Down.”
1/26/14 “Abu Mohamed, a leader within the insurgent outfit, indicates that Iskudhuq and his driver died when the vehicle they were in was struck by a drone missile. Mohamed blames U.S. authorities for the attack, with two American military officials later in the day confirming the missile strike.”
3/15/14 “The U.S. Department of State begins offering bounties of up to $3 million apiece for information leading to the arrest or conviction of the Al-Shabaab senior members Abdikadir Mohamed Abdikadir, Yasin Kilwe and Jafar.”
9/1/14 “U.S. military forces conduct an operation against Al-Shabaab in southern Somalia…U.S. officials later clarify that the strike was carried out via both drone and manned aircraft, with U.S. special operations forces destroying a vehicle and training camp using laser-guided munitions and Hellfire missiles.”
10/1/14 “Puntland Defence Forces launch a cleanup operation against Al-Shabaab militants in the Galgala area in the northern Golis mountain range…Security officials later indicate that at least 50 U.S. military personnel participated in the Galgala attack. This is the first reported ground support in Somalia by U.S. troops since 2006. While Bari provincial Governor Abdisamad Mohamed Galan was visiting the frontlines, U.S. special forces in armoured fighting vehicles were seen in the Galgala area.”
U.S. War on Terror Through Kenya As An Intermediary