The United States launched an air strike in Somalia, targetting a senior leader of al-Shabab, the Pentagon said.

US Defense Department spokesman Mark Wright said in an emailed statement that "the strike took place in the vicinity of Saakow, Somalia."

The US led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) military combat operations were formally ended in Afghanistan during a ceremony on Sunday. 

"These past 13 years have tested out nation and our military. But compared to the nearly 180,000 American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan when I took office, we now have fewer than 15,000 in those countries. Some 90% of our troops are home," said Barack Obama in a statement.

Speaking at the ceremony, the commander ISAF, John F Campbell, said, "Our Afghan partners can and will take the fight from here."

Mexico called for reform of the United Nations Security Council, that would allow for a greater number of member countries across a wider geographical spectrum.

A statement released by Mexico's foreign ministry said that it wanted the 10 temporary members to grow to 26, with six members from Africa, five from Asia, four from Latin America and the Caribbean, five from both Western and Eastern Europe and one from small developing nations, reports Reuters.

Cameroon has carried out its first set of airstrikes against Islamist militant organisation Boko Haram after the group overran a military base in the north of the country.

Some 1,000 Boko Haram militants attacked five towns and the military camp, briefly occupying it over the weekend, after Cameroon's troops were forced to abandon it.

Lieutenant Colonel Didier Badjeck told Reuters,