U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel (L) speaks next to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, August 21, 2014.

U.S. military forces carried out an operation against al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab militants in Somalia on Monday, Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said.

“We are assessing the results of the operation and will provide additional information as and when appropriate,” he added in a statement.

There were no further details immediately available.

It come a day after Shabaab rebels carried out a car bomb and gun attack against an intelligence headquarters in central Mogadishu, leaving at least seven militants and five others dead.

Shabaab rebels have targeted key areas of the Somali government or the security forces in an apparent bid to discredit claims by the authorities — who are backed by the African Union’s 22,000-strong AMISOM force — that they are winning the war against the Islamist fighters.

The Shabaab are fighting to topple Somalia’s internationally-backed government, and regularly launch attacks against state targets, as well as in neighboring countries that contribute to the AU force.

 
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