U.S. military confirms killing 8 militants in airstrikes in S. Somalia

MOGADISHU, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- The United States military confirmed Monday its special forces killed eight Al-Shabaab militants in the latest drone strikes carried out on Friday evening in Somalia.

The U.S. Africa Command (Africom) said the operation which also left one vehicle destroyed occurred about 48km northwest of Kismayo in southern Somalia.

"In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against Al-Shabaab militants in the early evening hours on Friday, approximately 30 miles northwest of Kismayo, killing eight terrorists and destroying one vehicle," Africom said in a statement.

"We assess no civilians were killed in the strike," it added, noting that the U.S. forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect Americans and to disable terrorist threats.

The attack comes after Somalia's defense minister Mohamed Ali Haga said on Friday the country needed increased U.S. drone strikes to counter the militant groups in the country as African Union forces begin to exit the country later this month.

"If we don't have the support of the Americans, we cannot stand on our own feet. The Somali security sector is still disorganized. And we need more drone strikes because a drone can strike the snake in the head," Haga said.

The U.S. forces have carried out a series of drone strikes in the past month in Somalia, targeting Islamist States and Al-Shabaab fighters as the African Union peacekeeping mission prepares to exit the country.

Somali and Amisom forces have also intensified military operations against the insurgents, flushing them in their Lower and Middle Shabelle region bases amid an expected recall of 1,000 African Union troops by end of December. Enditem