The US military announced Thursday it had killed "several militants" in a drone strike against Al-Shabaab extremist group in Somalia. The attack took place early Thursday in the Bay region in the center of the country, about 160 kilometers west of the capital Mogadishu, according to a statement by the US Africa Command. The strike was carried out in coordination with the Somali government, the statement said. "Al-Shabaab has pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda and is dedicated to providing safe haven for terrorist attacks throughout the world," it added. A Command spokeswoman told The Associated Press that no civilians were anywhere near the strike. Al-Shabaab was blamed for the October 14 truck bombing in Mogadishu that killed 358 people, and an attack on a hotel on October 29 that left 27 dead. On Saturday the US mission to Somalia urged all non-essential staff to leave Mogadishu immediately following a specific threat against them. That was one day after the US Africa Command launched drone strikes that targeted an ISIS base in the countrys northeast. The US military says it has carried out 22 airstrikes this year against al-Shabaab and the smaller ISIS presence in Somalia after the Trump administration approved expanded military efforts.