"Initial assessment concluded the airstrike killed one (1) terrorist.” The US Africa command statement said, "We currently assess no civilians were injured or killed as a result of this airstrike.”

US airstrikes have been helping the Somali government to defeat the Somali militant group Al-Shabab, Alqaeda’s Somalia affiliate and has helped train units of Somali National army.

"The removal of al-Shabaab terrorists increases the security of the Somali people as these terrorists indiscriminately attack and extort innocent civilians and destabilize the elected government,” U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Bradford J. Gering, deputy director of operations, U.S. Africa Command said in the statement. "The Somali National Army and their partners have made significant strides in targeting al-Shabaab terrorists in order to deny them the ability to plot attacks against the people of Somalia.”

The statement further added that U.S. Africa Command will continue to work with its partners to transfer the responsibility for long-term security in Somalia to the Federal Government of Somalia and its Member States. In support of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces will use all effective and appropriate methods to assist in the protection of the Somali people, including partnered military counterterrorism operations with the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali National Army forces.

- Horn Observer -