US military making "limited" progress in degrading Al-Shabaab

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The United States of America military is making limited progress in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants and other Al-Qaeda and ISIS-affiliated militants in Africa, the Department of Defense Inspector General said in a report, noting that the little strides are significant in the elimination of the terrorists.

According to the report, the Somalia-based militants moved freely across Somalia and Kenya this year where they launched attacks against security forces and civilians, leaving dozens dead or injured. It is in Somalia where most people have suffered under the militants, the report reads.

In Kenya for instance, the militants were able to carry out over 20 attacks from January mainly in Northern Frontier Districts [NFD] with also Lamu severely affected. It is in Lamu that the militants managed to raid the US Naval Base in January where three Americans including a serviceman were killed.

But within Somalia, the militants have often been targeting military bases and strategic hotels or busy highways and over 200 people have since been killed. Last week, there was an attempted raid at a US military base in Kismayo where elite Danab forces are trained, reports indicate.

And the Department of Defense now says the attacks waged by the militants have escalated to high levels, adding that there is a need to manage them. The militants also expanded their attacks to the Lake Region especially within DR Congo and parts of Central Africa, the report read.

"In East Africa, Al-Shabaab moved freely and launched attacks in Somalia and Kenya...In the Sahel and Lake Chad regions, violence continued at high levels and expanded to new territories," read the report while noting limited progress in the battle against the militants.

The DoD team also noted that the pace of airstrikes in Somalia significantly reduced in the 2nd quarter of 2020 with the US Africa Command launching only 7 airstrikes as opposed to 33 from January to March 2020. So far, the team has launched 46 airstrikes this year in Somalia, the highest, however, within the same period.

The airstrikes have leftover 70 terrorists dead according to the US Africa Command. Top among them include Bashir Qorgab, who was linked to the Lamu US Naval Base attack, Yusuf Jiis, and the recent death of Abdulkadir Commandos, one of the most sought terrorists in Somalia.

But there have been cases of civilian deaths and the Command identified two this year following mounting criticism from members of civil society. The Command has since launched Casualty Reports on civilians which was unveiled by General Stephen Townsend, the commander of AFRICOM.

Recently, Col. Chris Karns, who is the head of publicity in the US Africa Command, noted that Al-Shabaab remains a threat to Somalia's quest for peace and stability in a statement released last week. He accused the group of deliberately arming civilians.

"Al-Shabaab is a dangerous enemy that presents a threat to Somalia, its neighbors, and the United States. This Al-Qaeda aligned terrorist organization increasingly employs lies, engages in criminal acts, and blends into communities to create fear and intimidate local populations," he noted.

"They have engaged in a series of violent acts with no regard for the Laws of Armed Conflict, to include previously attacking a hospital and deliberately seeking to place civilians in harm’s way using protected structures, such as mosques, for military and offensive fighting purposes."

GAROWE ONLINE