Somali officials say recent airstrikes inside its borders killed as many as 22 of its soldiers though US officials have said the strike killed nine Al Shabaab fighters, and Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the department would pursue an investigation if collateral damage claims are made. The Sept. 28 airstrikes reportedly were made to support African Union Mission in Somalia troops fighting Al Shabaab at an IED factory. The region’s security minister told Al Jazeera 22 of his soldiers were killed in the strike, and apparently a rival region requested the air strike and duped the US. Carter said Friday that “in all instances when questions are raised about actions of US airstrikes, we pursue them.” The US would share results of any investigation, though “w?e haven’t looked at this matter yet.” Carter said the US is the most precise country in the world in conducting airstrikes and “we’ve demonstrated that record consistently, but that also acknowledges the fact mistakes are made.”
The crash of a T-38 trainer jet this May—which caused a weekslong pause in flights across the fleet—was caused by an improperly installed pin for one of the jet’s horizontal stabilizers, according to a new accident report released Oct. 30. When the pin disengaged midflight, it created the slightest amount…