Washington: According to reports on Saturday, the United States carried out an airstrike in Somalia that destroyed stolen Al-Shabab weapons and equipment close to an African Union military base that had been attacked by the organisation.

When it was raided on Friday, the base in Bulo Marer, 120 kilometres (75 miles) southwest of the capital Mogadishu, was housing Ugandan troops. The attack was claimed by the jihadist group with ties to Al-Qaeda.

US Africa Command issued a statement in which it claimed to have "destroyed weapons and equipment unlawfully taken by Al-Shabab fighters," but did not say when or where the theft occurred.

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In support of the Somali federal government and the AU force known as ATMIS, "US Africa Command conducted an airstrike against militants in the vicinity" of Bulo Marer on Friday, the statement said.

Locals and a Somali military commander told AFP that al-Shabab militants attacked the base with an explosives-packed car, starting a firefight.If there were any casualties from the Al-Shabab attack, it was not immediately known.

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According to the US Africa Command, "initial assessment is that no civilians were injured or killed" during the operation. An offensive against Al-Shabab, which has been waging an insurgency in the fragile Horn of Africa nation for more than 15 years, was launched last August by pro-government forces supported by ATMIS forces.

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Compared to AMISOM, the 20,000-strong ATMIS force's mandate is more offensive. Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and other nations are represented in the force, which is stationed in southern and central Somalia.

By 2024, it hopes to transfer control of security to Somalia's army and police.