AU fighters conduct air raids on Al-Shabaab militants in S. Somalia: official

African Union (AU) peacekeeping force fighter jets conducted raids in Bay region, southern Somalia, targeting Al-Shabaab militants, officials said on Tuesday.

Hassan Hussein, Rehabilitation Minister of Militia for South-western regional Administration, told media that AU fighter jets launched attacks on the rebel hideouts in some areas in the Bay region

"The shelling succeeded in its goal, and during the operation, a number of fighters who were hiding in Bay region were killed," he said.

The official did not give more details about the operation, but stressed the continuation of such operations against Al-Shabaab.

Residents in the region said they heard several explosions.

"The fighter jets launched intense bombing in the areas of Bay region. Airstrike is not new in this region," said resident Ahmed Kadiye.

South-western Administration is an autonomous region in south-western Somalia formed in November last year as one of the country's federal system. It is led by former transitional federal government parliament speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan.

The air raids come in the wake of increased attacks by Al-Shabaab in the country despite being vanquished in their major strong holders in southern Somalia.

Al-Shabaab on Monday exploded a car bomber near the presidential palace in capital Mogadishu. By far, 11 people have killed after three more people succumbed to injuries sustained during the attack. Enditem