US Airstrike In Somalia Kills Four Al-Shabaab Fighters

Archive photo of Al-Shabaab fighters.

The US military said it has killed four members of the al-Shabaab extremist group in an airstrike in Somalia.

America's Africa Command said this is the 19th such airstrike this year against the Somalia-based al-Shabaab, the deadliest Islamic extremist group in sub-Saharan Africa.

The US has also carried out a number of drone strikes against a small presence of fighters linked to Islamic State (IS) in northern Somalia.

The latest air strike was carried out on Thursday about 74 miles north-west of the capital, Mogadishu.

Al-Shabaab often targets the capital with deadly attacks.

The US said no civilians were killed.

Somali officials and residents have alleged in recent months that civilians have been killed in airstrikes.