Somalia: Al Shabab Says they Will Display Gunned Down US Drone (RBC NEWS)
ABDALLE MUUMIN
RBC NEWS.
KISMAYO, (RBC RADIO)- The Al Shabab rebels of Somalia say they have put down US drone in Kismayo in the southern Somalia, RBC Radio reports.
The US drone aircraft was flying over Kismayo, the capital of Lower Juba one of Al Shabab’s stronghold in the south of the country, RBC Radio correspondent says.
“Today our forces targeted the enemies aircraft and shot It down and we saw the plane burning, we want to show the journalists”, said Sheikh Hassan Ya’qub Al Shabab spokesman in Kismayo.
Sources in Kismayo told RBC the Islamist militia of Al Shabab fired anti aircraft artilleries and put the aircraft down on Monday noon.
“The aircraft fell into the water and our fighters are searching to relocate it from the water”, Sheikh Hassan Ya’qub said.
Local correspondents say if the Al Shabab’s claim is true then it will be the first time Al Shabab puts down US spy aircraft.
The Al Shabab administration of Al Shabab in Kismayo announced today that they will display the aircraft in the coming hours.
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US forces last month targeted a senior Al Qaeda operator in the east Africa. Mr. Salah Ali Nabhan was killed in an US helicopter attack near Barawe district of lower Shabelle region.
Al-Shabab and other Islamist groups control much of southern Somalia, while the UN-backed government controls only a few parts of the capital, Mogadishu.
Source: RBC Radio
