TL/DR –
Two US Navy sailors went missing while conducting operations off the coast of Somalia, says US Central Command. The sailors were “forward-deployed” to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet area in support of a variety of missions, but no more details were provided out of respect for their families. The US maintains a military presence in Somalia, focusing on the threat of al-Shabaab, an extremist Islamist organization recognized as a terrorist group by the US, and helps train Somali forces and conduct strikes against al-Shabaab.
US Navy Sailors Missing Near Somalia
Two US Navy sailors went missing during operations off Somalia’s coast, as stated by the US Central Command. The sailors were part of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet conducting various missions. Search and rescue operations are in progress to locate them.
The Central Command didn’t provide more details on the incident. They did confirm the sailors were “forward-deployed” and were “supporting a wide variety of missions.” They refrained from sharing more information out of respect for the affected families.
The US maintains a small military presence in Somalia to counter the threat of the militant group al-Shabaab, known for its attacks against the Somali government. The US has coordinated strikes against al-Shabaab with the Somali government. According to US Africa Command, “Al-Shabaab is the largest and most kinetically active al-Qaeda network worldwide, threatening U.S. security interests.”
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