Joint airstrikes by Somali forces and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) killed 12 al Shabaab militants in central Somalia and destroyed a weapons-laden ship linked to the al-Qaeda-affiliated group, the Somali government reported on Thursday.
The strikes occurred after al Shabaab militants attacked the strategic town of Adan Yabal, located 245 km (150 miles) north of Mogadishu. The town has been a base for militant raids.
The government confirmed that the targeted airstrike hit a militant hideout, killing several senior al Shabaab fighters. No civilians were reported to have been harmed in the attack.
Additionally, a second airstrike destroyed a weapons ship and support vessels transporting arms for al Shabaab in Somali waters. All occupants of the ships were reportedly killed.
In a separate clash near Baidoa, Somali troops killed at least 35 al Shabaab fighters attempting to attack a military base.
Although al Shabaab briefly captured villages near Mogadishu last month, Somali forces have since reclaimed them, and the government has increased troop deployments to counter the ongoing insurgency.
