US and Somali Intelligence cooperate to fight Al-shabab Terrorists

An intelligence official on Tuesday said that the Somalia’s intelligence service cooperated with the US in airstrikes that killed more than 150 al-Shabaab members on Saturday.

The airstrikes targeted a forested military training camp run by the Islamic extremists 200km north of the capital Mogadishu, the official said, adding that the camp was al-Shabaab’s main planning base.
The official said Somali officials helped the US to pinpoint the location of the militants’ training base but did not give details.

Another intelligence official said al-Shabab members training there were planning to attack a drone base in the region.
The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the press on this matter.
The Pentagon said on Monday that the airstrikes killed fighters who were preparing to launch a large-scale attack, likely against African Union or US personnel.

Multiple drones and manned aircraft launched missiles and bombs on the site, called Raso Camp, which the US had been watching for several weeks, said Navy Capt Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesperson.
The camp was destroyed, Davis said, adding that the US believes there were no civilian casualties.

The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab has been linked to a number of attacks, including the detonation of a bomb aboard a commercial passenger jet last month that forced the plane to make an emergency landing in Mogadishu.