UPDATE - US military drone crashes in southern Somalia

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT FROM SOMALI NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY AGENCY ON KILLING OF TERRORISTS***

By Mohamed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - A US military drone crashed earlier this week in southern Somalia, the US African Command (AFRICOM) confirmed on Friday.

In a statement on X, Africom said that on Tuesday, a US Army-operated MQ-1C crashed at approximately 12.40 pm local time (0940GMT) in southern Somalia.

It said an investigation is ongoing, although the crash does not appear to be the result of any attempt to shoot down the aircraft.

Somalia is known for a years-long series of terrorist attacks, especially by al-Shabaab, a group linked to al-Qaeda.

Meanwhile, the Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said on Friday that it had killed about 19 al-Shabaab terrorists and wounded a number of others in an operation that took place in Middle Shabelle region.

n a statement, NISA said the operation came after the terrorists gathered at a secret location in the vicinity of Yaaqle.

The spy agency said the movements of the terrorists were closely monitored by the Intelligence Service before the operation.

"The location of the operation experienced intense fire, indicating the presence of explosives and other weapons that were destroyed," the statement added.

Somalia has been plagued by insecurity for years, with the main threats emanating from al-Shabaab and the Daesh/ISIS terror groups.

Since 2007, al-Shabaab has been fighting the Somali government and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) – a multidimensional mission authorized by the African Union and mandated by the UN Security Council.

The terror group has stepped up attacks since Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared an "all-out war" on the group.