U.S. Gunship Strikes At Al Qaeda Forces In Somalia
As per the reader blog, this is the first overt action we’ve taken in Somalia since the Clinton pulled our forces out.
Tags: International Scene, Politics, War On TerrorUnited States forces have launched a strike against suspected Al Qaeda members in Somalia, a senior U.S. official tells FOX News.
After the attack by the Air Force AC-130 gunship, the official reported casualties on the ground, but is not sure if any are suspected terrorists.
The operation would mark the first time the U.S. mounted a mission in Somalia since forces pulled out in 1994, two years after entering on a mission to feed starving people there.
The U.S. could be taking advantage of terrorists that have flown their hideout, as Al Qaeda operatives taking cover in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu were likely chased out when Ethiopian forces cleared out Islamists who had taken power there.
Officials have long suspected those involved in the 1998 East Africa Embassy bombings had taken refuge in Somalia. Because of that, the U.S. has shared intelligence with allies such as Kenya and Ethiopia and this fresh attack could be part of an long, ongoing anti-terror operation.
