A US Navy SEAL was killed and two wounded in a clash with al Shabaab militants in Somalia, the US military said on Friday, in what appeared to be the first American casualties in the country since the 1993 'Black Hawk Down' disaster. The White House has granted the US military broader authority to carry out strikes in Somalia against al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab, the latest sign President Donald Trump is increasing US military engagement in the region. US Africa Command said US personnel were working alongside members of the Somali military. "US forces are assisting partner forces to counter al Shabaab in Somalia to degrade the al Qaeda affiliate's ability to recruit, train and plot external terror attacks throughout the region and in America," it said in a statement. In Friday's incident, US troops were hunting an al Shabaab commander near the Shabelle river alongside Somali special forces, a Mogadishu-based security source told Reuters.

Source: The Star May 05, 2017 15:26 UTC