The US military plans to scale back its role in Somalia and curtail airstrikes against al-Shabab insurgents, two senior US officials told NBC News.

The move reflects an assessment by the US administration that while the radical Islamist Shabab insurgency remains a threat to the Somali government and neighboring countries, it does not pose a direct danger to the US, current and former officials said. 

As a result, there are plans to reduce American military presence in Somalia.

The Pentagon, however, has not yet confirmed this information.