1 US special operator killed, 2 wounded in battle with Al Shabaab in Somalia

A U.S. service member was killed in Somalia on Thursday during a Somali-led mission against the Al Shabaab militant group, U.S. military officials said in statement released on Friday.

U.S. Africa Command said the service member died while U.S. forces were advising and assisting a Somali National Army operation about 40 miles (60 km) west of Mogadishu near Barii, Somalia.

Officials said two additional special operations troops were wounded in the same attack, according to Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson.

"We continue to support our Somali and regional partners to systematically dismantle this al Qaeda affiliate, and help them to achieve stability and security throughout the region as part of the global counterterrorism effort," a statement from US Africa Command said.