Somali and US forces conducted an airstrike in southern region on Sunday, killing a senior Al-Shabab militant, a government official said. Somali government spokesperson Ismael Mukhtar Omar said the strike targeted the militant near Qunyo Barrow in southern Somalia. “It is assessed that one senior Al-Shabaab operative was killed in the air strike. It has been assessed that no civilians have been killed or injured,” Omar said in a statement issued on Sunday evening. He said the Somali government and US partners will step up efforts in the fight against Al-Shabab and sustain work towards achieving security and stability for all Somalis. “The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and its US partners go through great lengths in order to prevent civilian casualties and to bring to justice Al-Shabab key leaders that plan and carry out attacks against innocent civilians in Somalia,” Omar said. The latest strike comes a day after the militant group killed at least 79 people and injured 149 others in a car bombing attack at a busy security checkpoint in Mogadishu. No group has claimed responsibility for the Saturday's attack although Al-Shabab usually stages such attacks. The Horn of Africa country has been driven by conflict since 1991, when clan warlords overthrew dictator Siad Barre and then turned on each other. The extremist group was forced out of the capital several years ago but continues to target high-profile areas such as checkpoints and hotels. Two weeks ago, the group attacked a hotel popular for politicians, army officers, and diplomats, killing five people.
