WASHINGTON: The US military said it killed more than 100 Islamist militants in Somalia on Tuesday when it launched an air strike against al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked insurgent group that wants to topple the UN-backed government.

The military’s Africa Command said the strike was carried out on a camp 201 km northwest of the capital, Mogadishu and that the United States would continue to target militants.

The strike was done in coordination with Somalia’s federal government, the Pentagon said.

US air strikes killing such a large number of militants in Somalia are rare, but not unprecedented. In March 2016, a US air strike killed more than 150 al Shabaab fighters in Somalia.

Somalia’s state news agency SONNA reported late on Tuesday that “about 100 militants” were killed when US planes and Somali commandos attacked al Shabaab bases in the Bur Elay area of Bay region.

Al Shabaab spokesman Abdiasis Abu Musab denied the attack. “It is just...propaganda,” he said.

Somalia’s government said on Wednesday it had requested the US air strike. “Those militants were preparing explosives and attacks. Operations against al Shabaab have been stepped up,” Somali Information Minister Abdirahman Omar Osman said.

“We have asked the US to help us from the air to make our readied ground offensive more successful.” Al Shabaab spokesman Abdiasis Abu Musab denied the air strike had taken place. “It is just... propaganda,” he said.

Al Shabaab is fighting to topple Somalia’s Western-backed transitional federal government and impose its own rule on the Horn of Africa country.

Earlier this month, the US warned of a threat to its diplomatic staff in Mogadishu and directed all non-essential staff to leave the capital.

Al Shabaab has lost control of most of Somalias cities and towns since it was pushed out of Mogadishu in 2011. But it retains a strong presence in parts of the south and center and carries out gun and bomb attacks.

“Al-Shabaab has publicly committed to planning and conducting attacks against the US and our partners in the region,” the US military statement said.

Al Shabaab aims to topple Somalia’s government, drive out African Union peacekeeping troops and impose its own harsh interpretation of Islamic law.

Earlier this month, the US military also carried out its first strikes against IS militants in Somalia and said it killed “several terrorists”.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2017