U.S. Operations in Somalia against Al Qaeda Targets Continue - Update One

Ongoing Story: Update Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Fox News has reported today that their sources have told them this is a Sustained Operation the U.S. has underway now in Somalia and it could last for days or as long as there is al-Qaeda targets to hit.

>>> Fox also has this report on their website:
Somali Official Reports another U.S. Airstrike on Al Qaeda Members
U.S. helicopter gunships attacked suspected Al Qaeda terrorists hiding in Somalia Tuesday... a day after U.S. Special Operations forces launched at least two air attacks against suspected Al Qaeda members in this restive Horn of Africa country... The attack helicopters were trying to kill Islamic extremists... Earlier, Somalia's president had said the U.S. was hunting suspects in the 1998 bombings of two U.S. Embassies in East Africa, and had his support...

>>> Chron.com has this report:
Copters attack Somalia militant suspects
The Aircraft Carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived off Somalia's coast and launched intelligence-gathering missions over Somalia, the U.S. military said... Three other U.S. warships were conducting anti-terror operations... U.S. warships have been seeking to capture al-Qaida members thought to be fleeing Somalia after Ethiopia's military invaded Dec. 24 in support of the interim Somali government and drove the Islamic militia out of the capital and toward the Kenyan border...

>>> DoD/American Forces Press Service weighs in with this story written by Jim Garamone
Aircraft Attack Al Qaeda Haven, Ike Moves off Somalia
Washington, January 9, 2007 - A U.S. Air Force AC-130 gunship attack in Somalia on January 7th targeted senior terrorist leaders, a senior Pentagon official confirmed today.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters the attack targeted "what we believe to be principal al Qaeda leadership" operating in the southern part of Somalia.

Whitman declined to discuss damage assessments or the effectiveness of the strike, or future operations in the area.

The U.S. 5th Fleet moved the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower into the waters off Somalia in an effort to capture al Qaeda terrorists attempting to flee the country, a 5th Fleet spokesman said.

Whitman said the attacks were aimed at terrorists who may have struck the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. "We are going to continue to work in close cooperation with our allies in the region, who all understand the importance of pursuing terrorist activities and denying them safe havens," he said.

More U.S. ships are moving in to the waters off Somalia to reinforce the maritime interdiction effort there, said U.S. 5th Fleet officials. “Due to rapidly developing events in Somalia, U.S. Central Command has tasked USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to join USS Bunker Hill, USS Anzio and USS Ashland to support ongoing maritime security operations off the coast of Somalia,” said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Charlie Brown, a spokesman for 5th Fleet in Bahrain.

The ships will stop vessels and search them for al Qaeda terrorists attempting to escape from Somalia, officials said.

>>> Daily Press Briefing by U.S. Department of State

To view video of briefing by Department Spokesman Sean McCormack click HERE

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>>> White House Press Briefing by Tony Snow
Read transcript of Briefing HERE (Has Video)

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>>> Our friend Nervous Rodent has some good updates at his site HERE

VIDEO Note: Some of you might not know the firepower of these Gunships. They are some bad mothers... that one doesn’t want to be on the wrong side of... Here’s actual footage of an AC-130 Gunship attack on a stronghold in Afghanistan back in 2003.

Click it out HERE

More to come as info comes in...

And the War on Terror Broadens
AubreyJ.........
January 09, 2006
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