In close coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted a precision airstrike on May 24, 2025, targeting the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group al-Shabaab approximately 40 miles northwest of Kismayo, Somalia.
The operation is part of ongoing U.S. efforts to disrupt and degrade al-Shabaab’s ability to plan and conduct attacks that threaten the United States, its partners, and the Somali people. The strike follows a pattern of strategic U.S.-Somali military cooperation aimed at dismantling the group’s operational capacity in the region.
Al-Shabaab has demonstrated both the intent and capability to strike U.S. forces and international targets. With a history of high-profile attacks—including suicide bombings, improvised explosive devices, and targeted assassinations—the group remains one of the most lethal terrorist organizations in East Africa. Its fighters, drawn largely from Somali clans and foreign recruits, continue to launch assaults on Somali federal institutions, African Union peacekeeping forces, and Western interests.
Founded as the militant wing of the now-defunct Islamic Courts Union, al-Shabaab seeks to establish an Islamic Emirate in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa. The group maintains a robust financial structure, collecting an estimated $15 million monthly through a sophisticated taxation system imposed on everything from imported goods to household property.
Al-Shabaab’s leadership formally pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda in 2012, and the group continues to function as a powerful affiliate, providing safe haven to foreign terrorist fighters and exporting jihadist ideology across regional borders. Despite significant losses in airstrikes over the past two years, al-Shabaab has actively recruited replacements, often using coercion and targeted killings of dissenting clan elders to maintain its ranks.
While specific details about U.S. military units or assets involved in the strike remain classified for operational security, AFRICOM reaffirmed its commitment to working with Somali forces to protect regional stability and prevent the group from threatening U.S. interests globally.
“U.S. Africa Command will continue to work side-by-side with the Somali government to combat terrorism and ensure security in the region,” said an AFRICOM spokesperson.
This latest strike underscores the persistent threat posed by al-Shabaab and the sustained international resolve to counter its influence in the Horn of Africa.
