6 militants killed in US air strike in Somalia, US says

FILE 2011: Hundreds of newly trained al-Shabab fighters perform military exercises in the Lafofe area some 18 km south of Mogadishu, in Somalia. (AP)

Six Islamist militants were killed by a U.S. military airstrike in Somalia, an official confirmed Tuesday morning.

The operation was carried out on Sunday in the vicinity of Dheerow Sanle, in the lower Shabelle region, reports Reuters.

“At this time we assess no civilians were injured or killed in this air strike,” the U.S. military’s Africa Command said in a statement late on Monday.

“This air strike was conducted to diminish al-Shabaab’s freedom of movement and to increase pressure on the terrorist network in the area,” a statement read.

U.S. and Somalia militaries have increased attacks by aircraft recently after the Pentagon received White House approval to expand its fight against al Shabaab Islamist fighters.

This past December, the U.S. military said it had killed 62 militants in six air attacks.