Skies Over Somalia: New Airstrikes Mark Continuation of U.S. Military Involvement

The U.S. has a long history of military involvement in Somalia, marked by airstrikes against jihadist groups like al Shabaab and Islamic State militants. From initial interventions in the 1990s to recent airstrikes under President Trump and Biden, the U.S. remains engaged in Somalia's security landscape.

The latest airstrikes ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump against Islamic State militants in Somalia signify a continuation of America's military involvement in the East African nation. This development marks Trump's first airstrikes of his second term, following a pattern of U.S. interventions in the region fraught with instability since 1991.

Back in December 1992, the U.N. Security Council authorized a U.S.-led military mission in Somalia to address civil unrest and a humanitarian crisis. The mission took a dire turn when, in October 1993, 18 U.S. soldiers were killed after two helicopters were downed in Mogadishu, an event that was later depicted in 'Black Hawk Down'. The U.S. withdrew its troops by 1994.

Fast forward to 2007, the U.S. began airstrikes targeting al Shabaab militants, an al Qaeda-associated group. Subsequent drone strikes eliminated several key figures, including al Shabaab's leader Ahmed Abdi Godane, and elements believed responsible for regional terror attacks. President Trump's first term saw an increase in airstrikes, extending this strategy to IS militants. Under President Biden, operations have continued, focusing on bolstering Somali forces against persistent jihadist threats.

(With inputs from agencies.)