A U.S. airstrike killed several al-Shabab militants on Tuesday, according to a press release from U.S. Africa Command.
The aircraft was unmanned, according to a U.S. official.
The strike was conducted roughly 60 miles northwest of Mogadishu and was carried out in coordination with the Somali government, AFRICOM officials said.
The U.S. has carried out more than five strikes in Somalia targeting al-Shabab and ISIS fighters since Nov. 3.
On Nov. 9, a strike targeted al-Shabab militants, and U.S. forces carried out a self-defense strike Nov. 11-12 targeting al-Shabab fighters attacking a joint U.S. Somali convoy.
On Nov. 3, U.S. forces carried out its first strikes against ISIS in the region.
On Nov. 13, U.S. Army Col. Robert Manning, a spokesperson for the Pentagon, told reporters that more than 40 al-Shabab and ISIS fighters have been killed in the series of strikes.
The U.S. appears to be ramping up operations in the war-torn region as African Union forces in Somalia, or AMISOM, begin a steady withdrawal of forces from the region as a result of UN mandated force caps.
The withdrawal of AMISOM forces comes as resurgent al-Shabab militants have increased attacks in the region and ISIS has attempted to stake out a foothold in ungoverned spaces in Somalia.
There are approximately 3,000 to 6,000 al-Shabab militants and 250 ISIS fighters in Somalia, AFRICOM estimates.
In total, the U.S. has carried out 28 airstrikes in Somalia this year, according to Robyn Mack, a spokesperson for AFRICOM.
There are more than 500 U.S. troops in Somalia conducting a counter-terrorism mission while also advising and training Somali forces, AFRICOM officials have previously told Military Times.
Shawn Snow is the senior reporter for Marine Corps Times and a Marine Corps veteran.
