US Christmas Eve air strike in Somalia killed 13 militants

The U.S. military on Sunday conducted an air strike in Somalia that killed 13 fighters from al Qaeda affiliate al-Shabab, U.S. Africa Command (Africom) said Wednesday.

The strike occurred in the morning of Dec. 24, in southern Somalia and in coordination with Somalia’s government, according to an Africom statement.

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“U.S. forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect the United States, its partners and interests, and deny safe haven to terrorist groups,” Africom said.

Africom said last month that it killed 100 al-Shabab militants in an airstrike on a camp northwest of the Somali capital.

The U.S. military also last month struck fighters from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria in Somalia for the first time.

The strikes are part of an increase in U.S. military activity in Somalia against the terrorist groups.