US military says 3 militants killed in Somalia airstrike

MOGADISHU, Somalia - U.S. military said a new airstrike in central Somalia has killed three Al Shabab fighters, the latest in series of drone attack targeting the al-Qaeda affiliated terror group this year, Garowe Online reports.

U.S. Africa Command said in a statement that the strike occurred on November 27 in the vicinity of Quy Cad near Harardere, an Ak-Shabaab controlled town located about 250 miles north of Mogadishu.

Harardere is located in southern Mudug region, central Somalia.

“We currently assess this airstrike did not injure or kill any civilians,” read the statement in part.

The airstrike coincided with the visit by U.S. AFRICOM Commander Marine Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser to Mogadishu on Tuesday who met with Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, U.S. Ambassador to Somalia Donald Yamamoto.

AFRICOM is authorized to conduct self-defense strikes in situations when African Union or Somali government troops accompanied by U.S. advisers came under attack.

There is about 500 U.S. military personnel in Somalia participating in an advise and assist mission with the Somali military.

GAROWE ONLINE