US carries out drone strike against al-Shabaab in Somalia, killing several

The U.S. military targeted and killed several al-Shabaab militants in Somalia with a drone strike, U.S. Africa Command said on Wednesday.

In a statement, Africom said it had carried out the strike on Tuesday against al-Shabaab targets about 60 miles north of the capital Mogadishu.

The drone strike was conducted in coordination with the Somali government, the statement said.

It is the latest in an increasing number of strikes against al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Somalia. On November 9, Africom said said it struck al-Shabaab in the Bay region, about 100 miles west of Mogadishu. From November 11-12, U.S. forces carried out three drone strikes against al-Shabaab and Islamic State near Gaduud, the Lower Shabelle region and the northern Puntland area.