The United States has accelerated the pace of its airstrikes against the jihadist groups Al-Shabaab and the Islamic State (IS) in Somalia this year, the United States Africa Command (Africom) told AFP on Tuesday.

In the Horn of Africa, the United States began targeting Al-Shabaab in the mid-2000s, at the time of the group's emergence.

Since January 1, US security forces have conducted 23 strikes in Somalia, Africom spokesman Major Mahalia Frost told AFP, citing an "increase" linked to a broader US offensive against jihadists affiliated with the Islamic State on the continent.

"Over the past year, we have become much more aggressive and are working with our partners to kinetically target threats, primarily ISIS," General John Brennan of Africom told AFP last week on the sidelines of security talks between the United States and Nigeria.

Major Frost added that the 23 bombings in Somalia since the beginning of this year "also include strikes against Al-Shabaab".

President Donald Trump had significantly intensified US strikes in Somalia during his first term, ordering 219 strikes and ground operations over four years, compared to 48 for Barack Obama in eight years, according to the American think tank New America.

Donald Trump has ordered at least 143 strikes since the beginning of his second term, according to the same count.

- Joint operation -

Earlier this month, Somalia announced the death of a senior Al-Shabaab official, Abdullahi Osman Mohamed Abukar, in a joint operation with US security forces.

He was killed on December 10 in an airstrike in the Jilib district of the Lower Juba region, Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi said in a statement.

Abdullahi Osman Mohamed Abukar, aged 43, was an explosives expert and a close advisor to the "emir" of al-Shabaab, Ahmed Diriye.

He was considered a terrorist by the United States and a reward of $5 million had been offered for his capture.

Another senior al-Shabaab official, Abdikarim Mohamed Hersi Qorleex, was also killed during this operation.

The Shebab, a group linked to Al-Qaeda, have been waging an insurgency against the Somali state for about twenty years.