The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that two US Navy sailors were missing at sea while conducting operations off the coast of Somalia on the evening of January 11.
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| The 5th Fleet's area of operations spans nearly 6.5 million square kilometers, including the Gulf, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Oman and part of the Indian Ocean. (Source: AFP) |
The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that two US Navy sailors were missing at sea while conducting operations off the coast of Somalia on the evening of January 11.
“Search and rescue efforts are currently underway to locate the two sailors. In the interest of operational safety, we will not provide further information until the recovery operation is complete,” CENTCOM said in a statement. The missing sailors were “deployed” to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet area of operations “to support a variety of missions.”
The 5th Fleet’s area of operations spans nearly 6.5 million square kilometers, including the Gulf, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean. US forces have long operated in Somalia in coordination with and on behalf of the government, mostly conducting routine airstrikes in support of official forces battling al-Shabab militants. Washington has designated al-Shabab a terrorist organization.
The United States maintains a small military presence in Somalia to focus on the threat from al-Shabaab. In addition to training Somali forces, the United States also conducts strikes against al-Shabaab in coordination with the Somali government.
According to US Africa Command, “Al-Shabaab is the largest and most active al-Qaeda network in the world and has demonstrated both the will and the capability to attack US forces and threaten US security interests.”
The US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), which includes the 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), is tasked with maintaining the stability and security of the regional maritime environment.
This combined force includes American and multinational sailors, marines, coast guardsmen, and civilians committed to promoting prosperity through freedom of the seas.
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