US refocuses air campaign in Somalia on Shabaab

AI Summary

The United States has intensified its military strikes in Somalia in 2026, focusing primarily on targeting Al Qaeda's Shabaab militant group. This marks a strategic shift from 2025, when strikes were mainly aimed at the Islamic State's local affiliate.

The United States is on pace for another record year of military strikes in Somalia in 2026. At least 74 strikes have been carried out so far, the majority targeting Al Qaeda’s Shabaab—a clear shift from 2025, when the US set a record for strikes and focused most of them on the Islamic State’s local affiliate. The post US refocuses air campaign in Somalia on Shabaab appeared first on FDD's Long War Journal.