The U.S. Has Launched Air Strikes Against Al-Shabaab In Somalia

The strikes were apparently aimed at killing the terrorist group’s leader.

Few details have been given about the operation, which took place a day after the group attacked government facilities in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.

However, U.S. officials speaking to NBC News revealed that a military drone launched hellfire missiles at at least two vehicles in southern Somalia. Al Shabaab's top leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane, is believed to have been the target of the attack.

In a statement, Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said: "We are assessing the results of the operation and will provide additional information as and when appropriate".

A Somali government soldier walks through the site of a suspected al-Shabaab attack in Mogadishu in March this year.

Omar Faruk / Reuters

Abdukadir Mohamed Nur, governor of southern Somalia's Lower Shabelle region, said: "The Americans carried out a major air strike targeting a gathering by senior Al-Shabaab officials, including their leader Abu-Zubayr".

Abu-Zabayr is a pseudonym of Godane.

The air strike follows a fresh offensive by Somali government troops and African Union troops against al-Shabaab strongholds in Somalia. The group seized much of the south of the country in 2006.

Al Jazeera is reporting that security forces had captured districts in the Hiran region of northern Somalia without any shots being fired, and are also attempting to capture the coastal port of Barawe — home to al-Shabaab's main headquarters.

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