Latest US airstrikes in Somalia kill 6 al-Shabab jihadists

The US military announces the latest of several deadly airstrikes this week against al-Shabab extremists in Somalia, as it targets a region well north of where the al-Qaeda-linked fighters control large parts of the country.

The US Africa Command statement says two new strikes killed six fighters and destroyed a weapons cache yesterday near Harardere. That al-Shabab-controlled community last month was targeted by the deadliest US airstrike in almost a year, with dozens of jihadists killed.

The US has now carried out 35 airstrikes this year against al-Shabab, Africa’s deadliest Islamic extremist group.

Two airstrikes on Monday killed 37 extremists and one on Tuesday killed seven.

This week’s airstrikes have been carried out in Mudug region, well north of the capital, Mogadishu.

— AP