Pentagon: U.S. Air Strike Targets Senior Shebab Militant in Somalia

The U.S. military carried out an air strike in Somalia against a senior figure in the Shebab militant group and was assessing if it had been successful, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

In an air raid conducted Saturday south of Mogadishu, U.S. special operations forces "using unmanned aircraft and several Hellfire missiles" targeted Shebab's chief of external operations and planning, spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby told reporters.

"We are still assessing the results of the operation and will provide additional information when and if appropriate. 

"At this time, however, we don't assess there to be any civilian or bystander casualties as a result of the strike," Kirby said.

Somali government officials and witnesses told AFP over the weekend that a house used by members of the al-Qaida-linked Shebab militants had been hit in an air raid on Saturday.

In September last year, the Shebab's leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane, was killed in a U.S. strike. And Washington carried out another air raid in December, which Somali officials said took out a top Shebab intelligence figure.

The Shebab are fighting to overthrow Somalia's internationally backed government and have also carried out a string of revenge attacks in neighboring countries.