US military says Somalia air strikes killed 4 al Shabaab militants

Four al Shabaab militants were killed on Sunday in three U.S. air strikes in two locations in Somalia, the U.S. military said on Monday.

The air strikes came a day after at least 90 people were killed in a truck bombing at a busy checkpoint in the Somali capital Mogadishu, the deadliest attack in more than two years.

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a statement that two militants had been killed by two air strikes in Qunyo Barrow and another two by an air strike at Caliyoow Barrow. It said no civilians were killed.

The United States carries out regular air strikes in Somalia in support of a weak, United Nations-backed government in Mogadishu, which has fought al Shabaab for years.

"The U.S. and the Federal Government of Somalia will continue to increase pressure on the terrorist organization in order to deny them the ability to plot terrorist attacks," the AFRICOM statement said.

Plans by the United States to withdraw hundreds of troops from Africa could curtail the fight against al Shabaab and other militant groups across the continent.