Story highlights US Africa Command: Eight Al-Shabaab militants killed

Strike was first under expanded authority approved by President Trump in March

Atlanta (CNN) The Pentagon said it conducted an air strike against the Al-Shabaab group in Somalia early Sunday morning.

"The US conducted this operation in coordination with its regional partners as a direct response to Al-Shabaab actions, including recent attacks on Somali forces," Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said in a statement. "This strike was conducted with the authorities approved by (President Donald Trump) in March 2017, which allows the US Department of Defense to conduct legal action against Al-Shabaab within a geographically defined area of active hostilities in support of partner force in Somalia."

The new authority approved Trump, gave more power to the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) to carry out "precision airstrikes" in support of African Union and Somali troops fighting Al-Shabaab in Somalia. It is legally based in the 2001 authorization for use of military force against al Qaeda. Al-Shabaab is considered to be an affiliate of al Qaeda.

The Sunday strike, which a US Defense official confirmed was from an unmanned aircraft, was the first publicly announced use of the new authority.

In April, the United States announced that it was s ending about 40 additional troops to Somalia to help train and equip both the Somali national army and the forces participating in the African Union Mission in Somalia.

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