US military says new airstrike in Somalia kills 9 al-Shabab

JOHANNESBURG – The U.S. military says it has killed nine members of the al-Shabab extremist group with a new airstrike in southern Somalia.

The U.S. Africa Command statement says the airstrike occurred on Friday near Lebede, a community in the Bay region west of the capital, Mogadishu.

The statement gives no details on those killed and says no civilians were involved.

The U.S. military has carried out at least 37 airstrikes this year against the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab, one of Africa’s deadliest Islamic extremist groups, which continues to stage deadly attacks in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, and other cities.