US airstrike kills ‘several militants’ in Somalia

MOGADISHU: The US military has carried out an airstrike in Somalia against Al-Shabab, an Al-Qaeda-linked militant insurgency that wants to topple the UN-backed government, the US Africa Command said on Wednesday.

It said “several militants” were killed in the strike 60 miles northwest of the capital, Mogadishu, on Tuesday at about 1500 GMT. It was coordinated with the Somali government, AfriCom said in a statement.

“Al-Shabab has publicly committed to planning and conducting attacks against the US and our partners in the region,” AfriCom said.

Earlier this month, the US warned of a threat to its diplomatic staff in Mogadishu and directed all non-essential staff to leave the capital.

Al-Shabab was pushed out of Mogadishu in 2011 and has lost control of most of Somalia’s cities and towns. But the group retains a strong presence in the south and center and can still carry out major attacks. It was blamed for bombings in Mogadishu last month that killed more than 350 people.

The group aims to topple Somalia’s government and drive out AU peacekeeping troops.

On Monday, the Pentagon said that US forces had killed 40 Al-Shabab and Daesh fighters in a series of strikes on Somalia.

“In coordination with the federal government of Somalia, US forces conducted five airstrikes in Somalia against Al-Shabab and ISIS (Daesh), from November 9 to the 12th,” said Col. Rob Manning, a spokesman.