Somalia's al

A air strike in southern Somalia has killed two senior commanders of militant Islamist group, al-Shabab, residents have told the BBC.

The strike destroyed the vehicle the militants were travelling in between the towns of Jilib and Barawe, seen as a major base of al-Shabab, they said.

The US launched a failed raid in Barawe earlier this month to capture an al-Shabab commander.

Al-Shabab is the main al-Qaeda-linked group in East Africa.

A Kenyan military source told the BBC their troops had raided Jilib, and there could be some casualties.

However, it is unlikely that they carried out the air strike, correspondents say.

Jilib residents told the BBC that it was probably a drone attack that killed the al-Shabab commanders.

At least 67 people were killed last month when al-Shabab fighters seized the Westgate shopping centre in Kenya's capital, Nairobi.

US commandos raided Barawe after the attack, but had to retreat after meeting heavy resistance.

The US was believed to have sought to capture al-Shabab commander Abdukadir Mohamed Abdukadir, alias Ikrima.