U.S. Hits Al Qaeda In Somalia
Well I was wrong...I guess Bush is willing to go after Al-Qaeda in Somalia after all.
MOGADISHU, Somalia A U.S. air strike hit targets in southern Somalia where Islamic militants were believed to be sheltering suspects in the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies, Somali officials and witnesses said Tuesday. Many people were reported killed.
Monday's attack was the first overt military action by the U.S. in Somalia since the 1990s and the legacy of a botched intervention — known as "Black Hawk Down" — that left 18 U.S. servicemen dead.
Helicopter gunships launched new attacks Tuesday near the scene of the U.S. air strike, although it was not clear if they were American or Ethiopian aircraft, and it was not known if there were any casualties.
U.S. warships have been seeking to capture al Qaeda members thought to be fleeing Somalia after Ethiopia invaded Dec. 24 in support of the government and drove the Islamic militia out of the capital and toward the Kenyan border.
The White House would not confirm the attack, nor would the Pentagon.
But a U.S. government official said at least one AC-130 gunship was used. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the operation's sensitivity.
AC-130 gunships have elaborate sensors that can go after targets day or night. They are operated by the Special Operations Command and have been used heavily against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
I commented yesterday that Somalia probably wouldn't get any help from the US given their track record with Black Hawk Down. I completely overlooked a possible air assualt against Al-Qaeda militants being chased out by Ethiopian ground troops. My bad...
Labels: al-Qaeda, Somalia, US Troops
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