A US soldier was killed in Somalia during a night- time military operation against the al-Shabab activists. The U.S. military confirmed that two other soldiers were also injured in the incident. The accident happened on Thursday near the western part of Mogadishu just about 40 miles (64km) from the city of Barii.
It was first reported by the United States' Africa Command (AFRICOM). In Friday's announcement, its spokesperson stated that the al-Shabab militants killed a United States soldier in the May 4th operation. According to the US military, the soldiers were deployed just over three weeks ago to help train the Somalian National Army.
They were there to provide training as well as equipping the Somalian troops with weapons to help fight the al-Shabaab rebels.
Donald Trump sends U.S. Military to fight al-Qaeda
Reportedly, President Trump had extended the military's role in the fight against al-Qaeda strongholds in the Horn of the African Continent. Robyn Mack of the US Africa military center said the soldiers had helped the Somali National Army launched an attack on the rebel's stronghold when the serviceman was fatally shot. Mack further stated that two US servicemen were seriously injured and taken to a military hospital for treatment.
According to Reuters, the soldier's main focus was capturing the leader of the al-Shabab rebels.
Reportedly, they were chasing their main target along the coastline of Shabelle when the incident occurred. Previous American Presidents had used caution when dealing with the Somalian militants since the ill-fated incident, which claimed the lives of 18 marines. The soldier's helicopter was shot down while they were battling the Mogadishu rebels in 1993.
The incident was documented in a Hollywood movie famously known as "Black Hawk Down".
Critics blast Trump's military in-experience
However, after Donald Trump became President, the Pentagon increased operations against the al-Shabab rebels with additional air strikes. In March, President Trump approved the deployment of more soldiers to the troubled region.
BBC Africa Security's Tomi Oladipo stated that the slain officer had been in the region for a while and was not one of the soldiers recently sent to Somalia.
And while the U.S. Defense Department had not released much information about the incident, Trump's critics have openly criticized his actions. According to them, Donald Trump is incapable of dealing with complicated U.S. military operations.
