US military confirms airstrike against Al-Shabab in Somalia

Anod said that since the government launched an offensive against the militants in August, the number of improvised explosive attacks by al-Shabab has decreased.

“We are not saying the explosions stopped, but we are saying they weakened,” Anod said. He added that the government had been expecting a rise in attacks during the month of Ramadan, but that did not happen.

“The enemy is wounded, but they can still fire bullets,” he said.

Somali and African Union officials have said improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are al-Shabab’s weapons of choice.

A joint report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said 109 IED attacks from January 2020 to December 2021 killed 309 civilians and injured 556 others.

Weapons used in these attacks include vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices; vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices and person-borne improvised explosive devices, both used in suicide attacks; and victim-operated improvised explosive devices, the report said.

Al-Shabab leader appearance

Meanwhile, al-Shabab leader Ahmed Diriye, also known as Ahmed Umar and Abu Ubaidah, purportedly appeared in a video published by al-Shabab’s media department.

The video captures a meeting attended by several top al-Shabab leaders as well as pro-al-Shabab traditional elders and religious scholars. The group’s media reported that the meeting, titled “Jihad in East Africa,” took place from May 8 to 15. The group has not disclosed where the meeting took place.