Mogadishu — US drones operating in the Horn of Africa have killed 4 Al Shabaab high ranking officials, Garowe Online reports.

The drone targeted the agents on Friday while they were in their vehicles near the area of Kilometere 60 located near Marko in the Lower Shabelle region. Residents in the area reported hearing large explosions early Friday morning.

Out of the 4 dead agents in Friday's strikes 2 are foreign fighters from Morocco and Kenya which the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has confirmed. The Moroccan was identified as Abu Abdullah by the Al Shabaab organization who released statements on the drone strikes that killed 4 of their agents. The Kenyan fighter's identity has not been released as of yet.

The US government confirmed to AP that they did conduct the drone strikes that killed the 4 insurgents.

US drones have killed Al Shabaab agents in the past. On January 22 a drone attack killed Bilal el Berjawi a British citizen of Lebanese descent fighting in Somalia. Although the US confirmed that they have a base in Ethiopia located in the southern city of Arba Minch the US government maintains that the drones conduct surveillance.