On 27 December 2006 , '' The New York Times '' reported analysts in Nairobi , Kenya claimed U.S. surveillance aircraft were funneling information to Ethiopian forces . Major Kelley Thibode , a spokeswoman for the task force of American military personnel based in Djibouti , said she was " not at liberty to discuss " the matter . Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Ghedi declared one of the key objectives of the offensive on Kismayo was the capture of three alleged al-Qaeda members , suspects wanted for the 1998 United States embassy bombings in East Africa : Fazul Abdullah Mohammed , Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan and Abu Taha al-Sudani . At the time , the United States Fifth Fleet 's maritime task force ( Combined Task Force 150 ) based out of Bahrain , was patrolling off the Somali coast to prevent terrorists launching an " attack or to transport personnel , weapons or other material , " said Commander Kevin Aandahl . The announcement did not say what particular ships comprised the cordon , but the task force includes vessels from Canada , France , Germany , Pakistan , the United Kingdom and the U.S. American ships of Combined Task Force 150 include the '' Arleigh Burke '' - class destroyer and the '' Ticonderoga '' - class cruiser . The aim of the patrols shifted on 2 January 2007 , according to diplomats , to " ... stop SICC leaders or foreign militant supporters escaping "
1998 United States embassy bombings
1998 United States embassy bombings
Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa