US airstrike in Somalia destroys vehicle carrying explosives

The US military says it has carried out a drone strike in Somalia that killed two al-Shabab extremists and destroyed a vehicle carrying explosives, "preventing it from being used against the people in Mogadishu."

The US Africa Command statement says the airstrike occurred early yesterday about 50 kilometres west of the capital.

It says no civilians were killed.

Mogadishu is frequently targeted by the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab. The extremist group was blamed for the October truck bombing that killed 512 people in the capital.

The US military carried out more than 30 drone strikes last year against al-Shabab and fighters linked to the Islamic State group after the Trump administration approved expanded operations in the Horn of Africa nation.
 

This is the first drone strike this year in Somalia.