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Somali army to deploy drones against Al-Shabaab

Xinhua, March 6, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Somali government will for the first time use drones to combat the Al-Qaida linked militant group Al-Shabaab, officials said on Friday.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Security Mohamed Yusuf told Xinhua with the help of the governments which he did not disclose, Somali army will deploy drones to destroy the remaining Al-Shabaab bases and capture the small regions they still control.

"Friendly countries are helping us with the drones and we will use this military technology to destroy Al-Shabaab remnants," he said, noting the army is working in close partnership with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISON) to rid the country of militants.

The United States has been launching drone attacks in support of the joint Somali army and AMISOM operations and killed an Al- Shabaab leader last month through drone strikes.

Somali army and AMISOM captured the last stronghold of Al- Shabaab Barawe town late last year. Endi