US Drone Strike Targets Al-Shabab

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- The U.S. military said Friday it carried out a drone strike this week against al-Shabab in Somalia, shortly after the extremist group was blamed for the country's deadliest attack.

The strike occurred Monday about 35 miles (56 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Mogadishu, the U.S. Africa Command told The Associated Press. The U.S. said it was still assessing the results.

Saturday's truck bombing in Mogadishu killed more than 300 people and wounded nearly 400 others, leaving scores missing. Al-Shabab has not commented on the bombing, which Somali intelligence officials say was meant to target Mogadishu's heavily fortified international airport. Several countries have embassies there

The U.S. has stepped up its military involvement in the Horn of Africa nation since President Donald Trump approved expanded military operations against the group early this year. The U.S. has carried out at least 19 drone strikes in Somalia since January, according to The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, which tracks U.S. drone strikes in a number of countries.

Earlier this week, a Pentagon spokesman said the United States has about 400 troops in Somalia and "we're not going to speculate" about sending more.

In April, the U.S. announced it was sending dozens of regular troops to Somalia in the largest such deployment to the country in roughly two decades. The U.S. said it was for logistics training of Somalia's army. At the time, the U.S. said about 40 troops were taking part.

Weeks later, a U.S. service member was killed during an operation against al-Shabab.

(KA)