The extent to which U.S. troops are assisting behind the scenes or fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with local troops has become a point of contention, not only in Somalia but also in other parts of the world where U.S. forces are helping fight extremist groups by backing proxy forces. A U.S. special operations soldier was killed in Somalia on Friday and four other U.S. service members were wounded, marking the first time an American has died in action in Africa since four U.S. soldiers were killed in an ambush in Niger late last year. (Reuters) - A U.S. special operations forces soldier was killed and four were wounded on Friday in a gun battle against likely al-Shabaab militants in Somalia, said a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. U.S. forces have been working with the Somali government to fight the al-Shabab terror group, which has publicly boasted of its alliance with al-Qaeda and has been fighting Somalia's internationally recognized government for control of the country since the militant group was ousted from Mogadishu in 2011 by African Union-led forces.
A U.S. special forces soldier is killed and four others are wounded in an ambush by suspected al-Shabaab militants near the town of Jamame, Lower Juba, Somalia.