US says 3 militants killed in Somalia strike

A U.S. airstrike in Somalia has killed three members of the al-Shabaab terrorist group, U.S. Africa Command (Africom) said Wednesday.

The strike, done in coordination with the Somali government, took place Monday near the town of Jilib, about 230 miles southwest of the capital of Mogadishu, Africom said in a news release.

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“U.S. forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect U.S. citizens and to disable terrorist threats,” Africom said. “This includes partnering with [African Union Mission to Somalia] and Somali National Security Forces (SNSF) in combined counterterrorism operations and targeting terrorists, their training camps, and their safe havens throughout Somalia and the region.”

The U.S. military assessed that no civilians were killed in the strike, Africom added.

The statement provided no additional details of the strike.

U.S. forces have been working with the Somali government to fight al-Shabaab for years, but under President Trump airstrikes and ground troops have significantly increased. The United States has roughly 500 troops in Somalia.

In March 2017, Trump granted a request from Africom’s commander for more authority to conduct airstrikes and raids against al-Shabaab without high-level, interagency reviews. Late last year, U.S. forces launched their first strikes against Somalia’s Islamic State in Iraq and Syria affiliate.