United States Africa Command

March 13, 2024 | Caleb Weiss |

Shabaab retakes territory as the U.S. sanctions one of its money laundering networks

Shabaab, al-Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, is steadily undoing progress made by Somali security services in its nearly two year old counter-offensive against the group. Over the last few days, the group...

January 23, 2024 | Bill Roggio, Caleb Weiss

US launches first drone strike of the year in Somalia

The United States launched its first drone strike in Somalia this year on Sunday, reportedly killing three Shabaab members. Neither Africa Command (AFRICOM), the U.S. military command responsible for such...

October 18, 2023 | Bill Roggio |

U.S. offers $5 million reward for Shabaab’s deputy emir

The U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Abukar Ali Adan, the deputy leader of Shabaab, Al Qaeda’s branch in...

July 20, 2023 | Bill Roggio, Caleb Weiss

AFRICOM launches ‘self-defense’ airstrikes against Shabaab in Somalia

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) killed five members of Shabaab, Al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, in a “self-defense airstrike” in central Somalia on July 19. AFRICOM has launched four self-defense...

January 24, 2023 | Bill Roggio, Caleb Weiss

U.S. military strikes Shabaab in central Somalia

The U.S. military targeted Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, in a pair of strikes in central Somalia over the past several days. The first attack took place on Jan. 20 near the town of Galcad...

January 6, 2023 | Bill Roggio, Caleb Weiss

U.S. offers $10 million bounty for top Shabaab military commander

The U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program announced today that is offering a $10 million bounty for information leading to the capture and prosecution of Maalim Ayman, a Shabaab military...

October 16, 2022 | Caleb Weiss |

US government sanctions several Shabaab officials and affiliated individuals

Today the United States government sanctioned a total of 14 individuals belonging to or associated with Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned a list of nine...

October 3, 2022 | Bill Roggio, Caleb Weiss

U.S. military kills wanted Shabaab leader in airstrike in Somalia

The U.S. military killed a senior Shabaab leader in an airstrike in a terrorist haven in southern Somalia on Oct. 1. Abdullahi Yare, the Shabaab commander who was killed, had a $3 million reward out for...

September 27, 2022 | Caleb Weiss |

Shabaab continues to lose ground in central Somalia

Over the last few weeks, troops from the Somali National Army (SNA), backed by clan-based militias, African Union forces, and U.S. air support, have steadily made progress against Shabaab, al Qaeda’s...

September 21, 2022 | Bill Roggio, Caleb Weiss

U.S. airstrike kills 27 Shabaab fighters in central Somalia

The U.S. military killed 27 members of Shabaab, Al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, in an airstrike in support of a Somali military and African Union offensive in central Somalia. Since June 3, the US has...

August 17, 2022 | Bill Roggio, Caleb Weiss

US picks up pace of airstrikes in Somalia

Since resuming military activity inside Somalia earlier this year, the Biden Administration has ramped up the pace of airstrikes in the Horn of Africa country in recent weeks. Since June 3, the US has conducted...

January 28, 2021 | Brig. Gen. Assaf Orion (Res.), RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

Moving Israel to CENTCOM: Another Step Into the Light

The new command shift, which is rooted in years of growing collaboration away from the limelight, promises to facilitate bilateral and regional security cooperation and burden sharing, while the IDF-EUCOM-CENTCOM...

December 23, 2020 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Al-Qaeda’s Endless Jihad in East Africa

On December 16, the Department of Justice announced that Cholo Abdi Abdullah, a 30-year-old Kenyan national, had been charged with plotting a 9/11-style attack inside the U.S. Abdullah was a member of...

December 21, 2020 | Maj Scott D. Adamson  |

Don’t Discount America’s Interest in Keeping Africa Safe

As the Pentagon removes more troops, consider what its modest investment has garnered.

October 5, 2020 | Maj Scott D. Adamson  |

Plan to Reposition U.S. Forces in Europe Needs More Work

The House Armed Service Committee (HASC) expressed concern last week about the Department of Defense (DoD) plan to reposition U.S. forces based in Europe. In its present form, the plan lacks sufficient...

August 20, 2020 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Endless Jihad

The problem with pledging to end our ‘endless wars.’

June 19, 2020 | Benjamin Weinthal |

COVID-19 in Morocco

Although Morocco seems to have escaped the worst of the pandemic with a relatively low number of confirmed cases and deaths, the COVID-19 crisis has devastated the country’s economy. Morocco, which has...

September 20, 2019 | Bill Roggio |

U.S. kills 8 Islamic State fighters in Libya airstrike

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May 24, 2019 | Bill Roggio |

AFRICOM hits Shabaab, Islamic State in Somalia

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March 13, 2019 | Bill Roggio |

U.S. on track to nearly triple airstrike record in Somalia

The US military continues to target Shabaab’s conventional forces in Somalia with record fury. In one of its latest airstrike, US Africa Command killed eight Shabaab fighters as the group attacked a...