US conducts second air strike in Somalia-report

WASHINGTON, Jan 24 (Reuters) A U S Air Force AC-130 gunship attacked suspected al Qaeda operatives in southern Somalia on Monday, the Washington Post reported today, citing unidentified U S officials.

The newspaper said there was no information on the results or the specific targets of the air strike, which would be the second this month by U S forces.

A Pentagon spokesman declined comment on the report.

The United States launched an air strike two weeks ago against what it called al Qaeda operatives among the fleeing Islamist ranks in its first publicly confirmed military action there since ending a disastrous peacekeeping mission in 1994.

Washington has believed that Somali Islamists have harbored al Qaeda members accused of bombing two U S embassies and an Israeli-owned hotel in east Africa.

REUTERS PB BS1128