The American army bombed the positions of extremists of the Al-Shabaab group in the south of Somalia, where 18 members of that organization died, the American authorities announced today, adding that they acted in self-defense.
"US forces carried out attacks on al-Shabaab positions in southern Somalia in self-defense," the US military command in Africa said, adding that the attacks came in response to jihadist attacks.
The US has been supporting the fight against jihadists in Somalia, which has been led by African Union forces since 2007.
Somalia has had no control over its territory since 1991, and has been affected not only by decades of war but also by cycles of thirst and famine.
The situation has begun to improve since August 2011, when al-Shabaab members were driven out of Mogadishu, but the al-Qaeda-linked organization still holds much of southern Somalia and is trying to return to the capital.
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