The United States on Friday denied intervening in the military operation by the Somali transitional government on the extremists, saying it has no desire to "Americanize" the conflict in Somalia.

"We have provided limited military support to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). We do so in the firm belief that the TFG seeks to end the violence in Somalia that is caused by al-Shabaab and other extremist organizations," said Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson.

"The United States does not plan, does not direct, and does not coordinate the military operations of the TFG, and we have not and will not be providing direct support for any potential military offensives," Carson told reporters at a special press briefing in the State Department.

"Further, we are not providing nor paying for military advisors for the TFG. There is no desire to Americanize the conflict in Somalia," he added, reiterating that the United States supports the peace process in Somalia.

According to Carson, the United States continues to call on all those who seek peace in Somalia to reject terrorism and violence, and to participate in the hard work of stabilizing the country for the benefit of the Somali people.

Carson's remarks were made as the TFG has renewed its military strike against the Islamist extremists in the capital Mogadishu and a senior U.S. army officer said Washington would support the transitional government to retake Mogadishu.

William Ward, who runs U.S. Africa Command, on Tuesday told a Senate hearing the Somali government's effort in retaking Mogadishu is "something that we would look to do in support."

He said the military would do this "to the degree the transitional federal government can in fact re-exert control over Mogadishu, with the help of AMISOM and others." AMISOM stands for African Union Mission in Somalia.

The internationally recognized government of Somalia is struggling to fight off an Islamist insurgency poised to run over parts of the city with protection from a few thousand African Union peacekeepers.

Clashes have intensified recently in Mogadishu, with the office of UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) saying last week nearly 26,000 people have been forced to escape violence in the capital since Feb. 1.

Mogadishu is a sore spot in American memory, where 18 U.S. soldiers died in an operation there in 1993. Some of their bodies were dragged along the streets, and the images prompted the end of that intervention. The battle was made into a movie called Black Hawk Down.