US strikes explosives-filled vehicle in Somalia

The U.S. military launched an airstrike against al-Shabaab in Somalia early Tuesday morning, targeting an explosives-filled vehicle, U.S. Africa Command said in a statement.

The airstrike, conducted southwest of Mogadishu, was done in coordination with the Somali government and was against “an al-Shabaab vehicle-borne improvised explosive device,” according to the command.

“This strike supports our partner forces by removing an imminent threat to the people of Mogadishu,” according to the statement. No civilians were killed, it added.

{mosads}The strike is part of a ramp up of activity in Somalia against the al Qaeda-linked militants, as well as Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighters. U.S. forces conducted airstrikes in the country against ISIS for the first time last month.

U.S. forces “will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect U.S. citizens and to disable terrorist threats,” the command said.

This includes partnering with the African Union Mission and Somali National Security Forces to target “terrorists, their training camps, and their safe havens throughout Somalia and the region.”