MOGADISHU, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Somali and U.S. forces on Tuesday killed three al-Shabab terrorists in the latest two airstrikes targeting fighters of the extremist group in the southern region.

The U.S. Africa Command (Africom) said the strikes targeted the militants in the vicinities of Jamaame and Deb Scinnele of the southern part of the country.

"These strikes targeted known al-Shabaab leaders involved in IED facilitation, fighter training, and attack planning," Dagvin Anderson, Joint Task Force-Quartz commander, said in a statement.

Anderson said no civilians were injured or killed as a result of this operation which came as the allied forces intensified military operations against the al-Qaida allied terrorist group in the Horn of African nation.

"We are working closely with our Somali partners to support their operations against al-Shabab, protect their people, and provide governance," he added.

Somalia and partner forces have increased military raids into territory formerly controlled by al-Shabab after driving the insurgents out of Mogadishu in 2011.

The strikes have largely targeted al-Shabab figureheads based in southern Somalia where the group still maintains a strong grip in some regions. Enditem

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