On February 15, al-Shabaab militants attacked Baledogle Military Airfield in Lower Shebelle province, where US Marines train local forces that should fight al-Shabaab, according to the terrorist group’s media wing.
In its statement, al-Shabaab claimed that 3 US personnel and 5 members of US-trained forces were killed in a mortar attack. The US military has not commented on these claims so far.
Baledogle Military Airfield is located 110 km northwest of the Somali capital Mogadishu. It’s often described as a base for Somali special commandos.
In 2018, the US Defense Department contributed a $12 million contract for “emergency runway repairs” at the Baledogle base. This effort appears to be linked to the recently increased US activity in the region. Over the past year, the US increased intensity of airstrikes on al-Shabaab militants in Somalia. Despite this, the terrorist group still remains a powerful force influencing situation in the country.
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