US launches airstrikes on IS in Somalia, Trump says

[Deeq A.]

Mogadishu, Somalia – The US military carried out airstrikes targeting Islamic State group (ISIS) militants in Somalia on Saturday, the first such operation in the country during the current US presidential term. President Donald Trump announced the strikes on his social media platform.

The strikes, which were authorized by President Trump and coordinated with the Somali government, targeted ISIS operatives in the Golis Mountains, according to a statement from US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

‘Multiple’ ISIS operatives killed

“At President Trump’s direction and in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, I authorized U.S. Africa Command to conduct coordinated airstrikes today targeting ISIS-Somalia operatives in the Golis mountains,” Hegseth said in a statement released on Saturday.

The Pentagon’s initial assessment indicated that “multiple operatives” were killed in the strikes and that no civilians were harmed. “This action further degrades ISIS’s ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening U.S. citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians,” Hegseth added.

He emphasized that the operation sends “a clear signal” that the United States is prepared to “find and eliminate terrorists” who threaten the US and its allies.

President Trump, in a post on his social media platform, stated that a senior ISIS planner and his recruits were targeted in the operation. He claimed credit for the strikes, asserting that they had been in planning for years but that previous administrations had failed to act.

“The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that ‘WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!'” he declared.

The identity of the senior ISIS planner and whether they were killed in the strike remain unconfirmed.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said he was informed of the U.S. strike targeting senior ISIS leadership in northern Somalia this evening.

He acknowledges “the unwavering support of the United States in the fight against international terrorism and welcomes the continued commitment” under the decisive leadership of President Donald Trump.

“This latest operation reinforces the strong security partnership between Somalia and the United States in combating extremist threats. Somalia remains resolute in working with its allies to eliminate international terrorism and ensure regional stability,” the president said in a statement on X.

ISIS presence in Somalia

While ISIS has a smaller presence in Somalia compared to the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Shaaab, experts have expressed concerns about its growing activity in recent years.

The group primarily operates in the remote, mountainous regions of northern Somalia. According to the International Crisis Group, the number of ISIS militants in the country is estimated to be in the hundreds, mainly scattered in the Cal Miskaat mountains within Puntland’s Bari region.

The Golis Mountains, where the latest strikes took place, are a rugged mountain range extending across northern Somalia. The difficult terrain has long provided a haven for various armed groups operating in the region.

US Africa Command (AFRICOM) has conducted airstrikes against ISIS militants in Somalia, such as in May, in which three militants were killed.

Recent reports from US intelligence officials indicate that ISIS cells in Somalia have been receiving increased direction from the group’s core leadership.

This includes guidance on kidnapping Westerners for ransom, improving military tactics, evading drone surveillance, and developing their own small quadcopter capabilities.

Somalia has been grappling with instability and conflict for decades, with Al-Shabab being the dominant insurgent group. The emergence of ISIS in Somalia, though relatively small, adds another layer of complexity to the security landscape.

The Federal Government of Somalia, supported by the African Union peacekeepers (AUSSOM) and international partners like the United States, has been engaged in a protracted effort to combat both Al-Shabab and ISIS.

The first major US airstrike against ISIS in Somalia was in November 2017, and there have been hundreds of strikes since then.