One Soldier Killed, Four Wounded in Battle Against Al-Qaida-Linked Terrorists in Somalia: U.S. Official

An armed member of the terrorist group al-Shabab attends a rally in support of the merger of the fundamentalist Somalia Islamic group with al-Qaida, on the outskirts of Mogadishu, Somalia, on Feb. 13, 2012. AP Photo

WASHINGTON–A U.S. commando was killed and four others were wounded on Friday when they came under fire in Somalia during an operation against al-Shabaab terrorists, the U.S. military said.

The U.S. special operations forces were fighting alongside about 800 troops from the Somali National Security Forces and Kenyan Defense Forces when they were attacked about 2:45 p.m. by mortars and small arms fire.