... the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord...members in a coordinated offensive in the Berhani area, roughly 35 kilometers northwest of Kismayo
...a port city in the southern Lower Juba province of Somalia, at the extreme southern end of the country (always assuming Somalia can be called a country). It is the commercial capital of the autonomous Jubaland region....
, security sources said on Sunday.
The joint operation was aimed at preempting a planned attack by al-Shabaab, sources said. The strike targeted a known al-Shabaab outpost where intelligence suggested the forces of Evil were organizing their next move against Somali military targets.
"This operation was a clear message to al-Shabaab that their terror will not go unchecked," a senior Somali military official told Garowe Online, speaking on condition of anonymity
... for fear of being murdered...
due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The involvement of U.S. forces underscores the ongoing international cooperation aimed at dismantling al-Shabaab's networks. The United States has been actively supporting Somalia in its fight against al-Shabaab and ISIS, which has plagued the country for over three decades.
The latest military action is part of a wider strategy to weaken al-Shabaab's grip in southern Somalia, where the group has been launching attacks to oust the government. The Somali government, alongside its international partners, has intensified operations against the bully boys, focusing on both direct combat and initiatives to cut off their financial and logistical support.