The United States Armed Forces conducted an airstrike against positions held by the Al-Shabaab group in Somalia, as part of an intensification of its military operations in the African country during 2026, according to information provided by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).
According to official data, since 1 January 2026 the U.S. has carried out 23 airstrikes in Somali territory, targeting both Al-Shabaab and cells linked to the Islamic State (ISIS). AFRICOM spokesperson Major Mahalia Frost confirmed to AFP that these bombings “also include strikes against Al-Shabaab.“
In that context, AFRICOM reported that on 27 January 2026 U.S. forces carried out airstrikes “in the vicinity of Godane, approximately 60 kilometers northeast of Mogadishu.” The statement did not specify the number of strikes or provide an official assessment of casualties.
Although the U.S. has not issued an official announcement regarding the strike—so it is not known with certainty which weapons system was used—it is estimated that it may have been conducted using MQ-1 Predator drones armed with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. Another option could be MQ-9 Reapers, a more modern version of the Predator.
Increase in military operations in Africa
According to Frost, the increase in strikes since the beginning of the year is part of a broader U.S. approach to confront ISIS-linked groups on the African continent. This strategy has also included bombings carried out in Nigeria during the Christmas period.
Lieutenant General John Brennan, AFRICOM’s deputy commander, recently noted that Washington has intensified its joint action with regional partners. “Over the last year we’ve become much more aggressive and we are working with partners to kinetically target threats, primarily ISIS,” Brennan said during a U.S.–Nigeria security meeting in Abuja.
Following strikes in Nigeria against targets associated with the Islamic State Province in the Sahel, the Pentagon announced increased intelligence sharing with Nigerian forces. “From Somalia to Nigeria, the set of problems is connected. We’re trying to dismantle it and provide partners with the information they need,” Brennan explained.
Context of the strikes in Somalia
Although Al-Shabaab has lost control of most Somali cities since 2011, following an African Union offensive and U.S. air operations, the group continues operating in rural areas of the country’s south, where it maintains training camps.
The U.S. has carried out large-scale strikes against these camps on multiple occasions. In March 2016, an air-and-drone operation reportedly killed approximately 150 fighters, while in November 2017 another similar offensive left more than 100 militants dead, according to U.S. officials. Between 2018 and 2019, AFRICOM also reported strikes in Haradere and Jilib, with dozens of casualties.
In parallel, ISIS-Somalia—a local affiliate of the Islamic State—maintains a limited presence in the country and disputes territory with Al-Shabaab in the mountainous Golis region, where AFRICOM continues conducting air operations.
Joint operation and reaction from the Somali government
The Somali government recently confirmed the death of Abdullahi Hassan Abdi Osoble, also known as Abdullahi Wadaad, a senior Al-Shabaab leader, during a special operation carried out in late January 2026 in the Lower Shabelle region. The action was executed by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), with support from international partners.
In an extensive official statement, Somalia’s Ministry of Defense said the operation “is part of a chain of successful operations” and emphasized that the objective was achieved through a targeted strike against the leader, who served as the group’s chief financial collector.
“The leader was eliminated in a place he believed to be safe, as a result of a special operation directed specifically against him,” the statement said, also detailing his role within Al-Shabaab’s structure and his involvement in extortion and the group’s financing activities.
Somali authorities stated that the action adds to other recent operations against the organization’s leaders and reaffirmed that military campaigns will continue “until terrorism no longer poses a threat to the country’s security.”
*Images used for illustrative purposes.
*Translated by Constanza Matteo
You may also like: U.S. Armed Forces employed AGM-154 JSOW glide bombs during their attacks on Venezuela
