Report: Ethiopian airstrike kills 70 al-Shabab in Somalia

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – A new report says Ethiopia’s air force has killed about 70 al-Shabab extremists in an airstrike in neighbouring Somalia.

The state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate says the airstrike was meant to thwart an al-Shabab attack on an Ethiopian contingent of the multinational African Union force.

The report says “two vehicles packed with weapons” were destroyed. It does not say where or when the airstrike occurred.

It cites Brig. Gen. Yilma Merdassa with the air force as saying “we achieved 100 per cent of our plans.”

There is no immediate comment from Somali authorities.

Kenya, another member of the AU mission, also has carried out airstrikes against the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab, while the U.S. military has carried out at least 22 airstrikes against the extremist group this year.