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One U.S. Service Member killed and two injured in Somalia

5 May 2017 — A U.S. Navy SEAL was killed Thursday fighting terror group
Al-Shabaab — Al Qaeda’s third-largest affiliate — in Somalia.

It appeared to be the first combat death of a U.S. service member in Somalia
since 1993, U.S. Africa Command spokesman Patrick Barnes said.

Two other U.S. special operations personnel were wounded in the attack in
Somalia, one official said; however, the Pentagon would not disclose the
extent of the injuries due to privacy concerns.

“U.S. forces were conducting an advise and assist mission alongside
members of the Somali National Army” near Bari, about 40 miles west of
Mogadishu, U.S. Africa Command added.

A Somali intelligence official confirmed the U.S. military operation to The
Associated Press, saying U.S. forces in helicopters raided an Al-Shabaab
hideout near the Somali capital on Thursday night and engaged with fighters.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not
authorized to speak to the media, said the helicopters dropped soldiers near
Dar es Salaam village in an attempt to capture or kill extremists in the area.

The official said the fighters mounted a stiff resistance against the soldiers.
Al-Shabaab “presents a threat to Americans and American interests,” the
U.S. Africa Command statement said.

Somalia’s new Somali-American president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed,
last month declared a new offensive against Al-Shabaab, which is based in
Somalia but has claimed responsibility for major attacks elsewhere in East
Africa.

In late March, the White House approved a Pentagon request to conduct
offensive operations against Al-Shabaab in Somalia. This meant drone strikes
and raids were given the green light to happen outside of self-defense, which
was the previous policy under the Obama administration.

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