Somali forces kill at least seven al-Shabaab terrorists

Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said on Sunday that an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab terrorists in the central Hiraan region killed at least seven fighters and destroyed two trucks carrying weapons.

The operation took place earlier in the day in the village of Bulo Hog, on the outskirts of Buq-Aqable, a town controlled by al-Shabaab located 268 kilometres north of the capital Mogadishu.

NISA said in a statement that the operation followed surveillance of the vehicles and militants, who were reportedly returning from the Shaw area of Hiraan and heading toward Buq-Aqable.

"The national intelligence, having closely monitored the movement of the vehicles and accompanying militants, carried out the operation after confirming intelligence about the Khawaarij," the agency said, using a term it employs to describe al-Shabaab.

Al-Shabaab's nearly two-decade insurgency against state

The strike came two days after three separate operations in the Middle Shabelle region killed at least 13 al-Shabaab members, including both fighters and commanders.

Al-Shabaab, which has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for more than 16 years, regularly targets security forces, government officials and civilians.