The U.S. military said on Tuesday it had killed three al-Shabab militants in an airstrike in southern Somalia.

The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) stated that it conducted a “collective self-defense” air strike against Al-Shabaab on March 10 at the request of the Somali federal government.

AFRICOM said an initial post-attack assessment indicated that no civilians were injured in the attack, which occurred near Ugonji in the Lower Shabelle region, about 71 kilometers (44 miles) southwest of Mogadishu.

This is the fifth air strike carried out by the US military in Somalia this year. AFRICOM conducted 18 such airstrikes in 2023.

The statement did not say whether the targeted militants were infantrymen or al-Shabab commanders. U.S. airstrikes have been targeting both targets.

Meanwhile, Somali government forces this week retreated from two towns they captured from al-Shabab late last year, according to multiple local sources and military officials.

It was unclear why troops withdrew from Baadwen and Amara in central Galmudug state. Somali government officials have yet to comment on the withdrawal. Al-Shabaab said its fighters had re-entered the two towns.