Washington, June 16 (ANI): The White House has reportedly acknowledged the existence of President Barack Obama's drone campaign against Al-Qaeda in Yemen and Somalia for the first time.

US officials confirmed in the White House's semi-annual report to Congress on the state of US combat operations that 'direct action' was being taken against terrorists in the two countries.

The report described the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) as 'the most active and dangerous affiliate of al-Qaeda today'.

According to the Telegraph, the report comes in the wake of fury among Republicans over alleged national security leaks to the media by the White House.

It also comes weeks after John Brennan, Obama's counterterrorism chief, gave the first formal confirmation that the US used drones against terror suspects overseas.

The report said that in Somalia, the US armed forces have been working to combat al-Shabaab, the region's most prominent Al-Qaeda affiliate.

In a limited number of cases, the US military has taken direct action in Somalia against members of al-Qaeda, including those who are also members of al-Shabaab, who are engaged in efforts to carry out terrorist attacks against the United States and our interests, the report said.

According to the paper, the report covers the activities of the US military, but not those of the CIA, which has its own fleet of drones and whose actions remain secret. (ANI)