File photo shows the site of a suicide attack carried out by Al-Shabaab militants in Mogadishu, Somalia, Jan. 25, 2017. (Xinhua/Faisal Isse)

MOGADISHU, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- The United States special forces on Tuesday conducted an airstrike in Somalia against Al-Shabaab, killing more than 100 militants, the U.S. military said.

The U.S. Africa Command (Africom) said in a statement the operation occurred about 200 km northwest of the capital, Mogadishu.

"In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike in Somalia against an Al-Shabaab camp on Tuesday at approximately 10:30 a.m. local Somalia time, killing more than 100 militants," Africom said in a statement.

Africom vowed the U.S. forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect Americans and to disable terrorist threats by partnering with African Union and Somalia security forces targeting the terrorists' hideouts.

"Our political and security goals in Somalia are the same: a reconstituted Somali state at peace internally and able to address all threats within its territory," the U.S. military said.

The latest drone strike comes after Somalia and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces have stepped up a massive security operation to flush out Al-Shabaab militants in the southern region.

The pan-African body plans to reduce its troops by 1,000 by December this year, followed by further cuts next year, an exercise expected to end by 2020 as part of its exit strategy.