Sunday September 4, 2022
Al Shabaab militants have reportedly begun using drones to carry out reconnaissance and attack Somali government forces. FILE PHOTO
Mogadishu (HOL) - The US government confirmed that Somalia's al Shabaab militants have begun using modern technology, including drones, making their attacks on Somali government facilities even more dangerous.
This was revealed by Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis, Senior Advisor for Special Political Affairs, United States Mission to the United Nations (UN).
DeLaurentis made the comments during the UN Security Council Arria-Formula Meeting (informal meeting) on Transnational Activities of Terrorist Groups.
"Among new and emerging technologies, as we have heard, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are particularly exploited by terrorist groups to facilitate attacks, conduct intelligence and develop propaganda," he said.
He said terrorist outfits were using modern technology to attack soft targets.
U.S. Africa Command regularly strikes al Shabaab bases in the country. The last drone attack killed 13 members of the terrorist group al-Shabab in a remote location near Teedaan, Somalia, on Aug. 14.
Al Shabaab militants have increased their attacks in the last three months. The most recent terrorist attack occurred last Friday night in the Hiiraan region when the militants killed at least 18 civilians and destroyed trucks carrying food aid in the Hiiraan region.
The trucks were transporting food supplies from Beledweyne to Mahas.Al Shabaab has been waging a deadly war against Somalia’s internationally-backed government since 2011.