MOGADISHU, Somalia – A suspected French military fighter jet has carried out carried airstrikes against al Shabab, an al Qaeda affiliated group in the southern regions of Somalia.
The strikes were conducted in Jamame and Jilib towns under control of al Shabab where over one hundred militants were killed and injured, reliable sources said.
The sources said the fighter jets fired 3 missiles at the major militant base in Jamame town where 700 armed militants stationed, killing dozens.
They [sources] says the 2nd strike was executed in Jilib town, targeting nearly 300 foreign jihadists fighting alongside al Shabaab. It is unclear how many foreign fighters were killed in the 2nd air attack.
They added there is also another raid that targeted al Shabaab militants, while the militants were regrouping to carry out an ambush attack on Somali army forces.
Neither Somali authorities nor al Shabaab commented on the latest attacks in Somalia.
The group was pushed out of Mogadishu capital in 2011 by Somali army troops and 22,000-strong African Union force in Somalia.
The rebel group also lost most of their strongholds, but it still controls large rural areas and remains the key threat to peace in Somalia.
The al Qaeda linked group has been fighting for over ten years to overthrow the internationally- backed government in Somalia
