US says drone strike in Somalia kills 3 al-Shabab extremists

[Deeq A.]

MOGADISHU, Somalia –  The United States military says it has carried out a drone strike against al-Shabab extremists in Somalia, killing three “terrorists.”

The U.S. Africa Command statement says the airstrike occurred Monday near Jilib town in Middle Juba region. “We assess no civilians were killed in this strike.”

The U.S. has carried out a growing number of drone strikes in the Horn of Africa nation in coordination with Somalia’s government. Most are against al-Shabab but a small number have targeted Islamic State group-affiliated fighters in the Puntland region in the north.

The U.S. carried out more than 30 drone strikes last year in Somalia after President Donald Trump approved expanded military efforts against al-Shabab. The U.S. says it has carried out four such strikes so far this year.

The al-Shabab extremist group is blamed for the October truck bombing in the capital, Mogadishu, that killed 512 people.

AP