U.S. airstrike kills 13 militants in Somalia

A U.S. airstrike over the weekend in Somalia killed 13 members of the al-Shabaab extremist group, the U.S. military reported Wednesday. The U.S. Africa Command confirmed in a statement the Christmas Eve airstrike took place in southern Somalia. “U.S. forces will continue to protect the United States, its partners and interests, and deny safe haven to terrorist groups,” the statement read. The United States this year executed 34 drone strikes during increased military action against the terror group. Al-Shabaab continues to carry out sporadic attacks throughout the country. Somali authorities blamed the group for an October truck bombing that killed 512 people.